Charles Leclerc stated that he would have no problem sharing Ferrari with Max Verstappen in the future, should the four-time world champion decide to leave Red Bull. Rivals since karting, Leclerc revealed that in the past he believed Verstappen was a “bad person,” while the Red Bull driver had the same view of him:
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“Our relationship has matured over the years; I was convinced he was a bad person and he thought the same of me,” Leclerc said in an interview with Sky Italia. “But now our relationship has changed.”
Verstappen debuted in Formula 1 in 2015 with Toro Rosso, while Leclerc entered the category in 2018 with Sauber and moved to Ferrari the following year. Since then, the two have had several duels on the track and built a different relationship off it.
“He is an exceptional driver who has won four world championships, but fortunately I had the opportunity to have some brilliant teammates: Hamilton, [Sebastian] Vettel, [Carlos] Sainz,” he said. “So that [having him as a teammate] wouldn’t worry me if it happened one day.”
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The Monegasque also highlighted the historical significance of a possible partnership with Verstappen at Ferrari: “It would also be a great story because we started together in 2010 and competed in all karting categories together.”
However, Leclerc said the focus at the moment is his camaraderie with Lewis Hamilton: “Having him at Ferrari? Let’s just enjoy Lewis for now.”
Verstappen’s future remains one of the main topics in Formula 1. Mercedes and McLaren have already been linked to the driver, although the most likely scenario is staying at Red Bull, the team he calls his “second family.” Even with a contract valid until the end of 2028, Verstappen has not yet confirmed his plans for the 2027 season.
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