Ralf Schumacher claims that Charles Leclerc will never become world champion at Ferrari. The Monegasque does have what it takes to win a title, but as long as he drives for the Scuderia, it remains a dream, according to the German. He thinks that of all the drivers on the current grid, only Max Verstappen could end Ferrari’s title drought, but that the Dutchman will never make the move to Maranello.
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In a broadcast of the German branch of Sky Sports, Ralf Schumacher was asked if Leclerc will ever become champion in Formula 1. The 28-year-old driver recently became the second longest-serving Ferrari driver ever, but never got further than P2 in the final standings. “In a McLaren he can absolutely win the title, just like Norris did last year – there is no doubt about that,” speculated the German. “But is he a Max Verstappen? No, he is not.”
The former driver praised Leclerc on a personal level but emphasized that he is not strong enough to tackle the current problems at Ferrari. “I believe he has the potential,” said Schumacher. “He is also an incredibly nice and friendly man. But Ferrari is Ferrari, and even with Frédéric Vasseur at the helm, the current shortcomings are too great.”
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Verstappen and Ferrari
The German explained that only Max Verstappen could have a chance of success at the current Ferrari. Nevertheless, he sees no match between the Dutchman and the Italian racing team. “Anything is possible,” he said, “many drivers really want to go to Ferrari; it is a special brand within Formula 1.” The fact that Verstappen would have to switch to Ferrari in GT3, however, is a dealbreaker, Schumacher thinks. “He feels so comfortable in the GT3 world with Mercedes. The teams, the drivers, the engines; I can hardly imagine that he would want to trade that for Ferrari.”
“Max would then have to submit to that structure in a certain way, and he is not like that,” he explained. “He is used to taking the lead within a team himself. Moving to Ferrari, which is currently not functioning optimally, he would not be able to handle.” Schumacher made the comparison with his acclaimed brother, who made the move to Maranello and then won five world titles in a row. “My brother took a group of people with him at the time who worked fantastically together,” he noted. “I don’t think Verstappen will make it on his own. That’s why I think only Mercedes and McLaren remain for him.”
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