The 2024 Formula 1 season has only just started but already it appears as though there might be more jeopardy at the front of the grid.
Red Bull Racing have already been denied the opportunity to complete a perfect season after Carlos Sainz’s fantastic victory in Melbourne.
Former driver Thierry Boutsen has been raving, via Planet F1, about another driver on the grid who is capable of producing moments of magic.
Max Verstappen will be hoping that he can at least match his 19 race wins from last season.
So far, Sergio Perez has once again been in his shadow but closed the gap to his teammate in both qualifying and the race in Japan.
Carlos Sainz appears to be on fire this season, motivated by the fact that he needs to find a race seat for 2025.
However, Boutsen has suggested that Ferrari made the right call retaining his teammate Charles Leclerc given his greater consistency and ability to turn it on when it matters.
While there might still some be concerns about his ability to convert his one-lap pace into race wins, his performance in Las Vegas at the end of last season for example shows that on the right track, he can more than match both Red Bulls.
Thierry Boutsen raves about Ferrari star Charles Leclerc
While Sainz has stolen the headlines with his podium finishes in Bahrain and Japan and his race win in Australia, it can’t be understated that Leclerc has still done a decent job.
He was the best of the rest in Saudi Arabia, joining both Red Bulls on the podium despite not being completely comfortable in the car.
The 26-year-old produced a ‘perfect’ race in Japan after a poor qualifying session, maximising his medium tyres to pull off a one-stop strategy.
Jan Lammers has suggested that Leclerc might be ‘mentally shaken’ by his Ferrari teammate’s performances, but when it matters, the Monegasque driver can still turn it on.
Charles Leclerc needs to start producing more ‘magic races’
Talking about both Ferrari drivers, Boutsen said: “[Carlos Sainz] has been driving very well, but the car has never been very good.
“If you see the performance of the two drivers, they’ve had ups and downs. Sometimes [Charles] Leclerc is in front, sometimes it’s Sainz. Leclerc has an incredible speed in qualifying.
“When the car fits his personal speed, he’s done some magic races. When he got into Ferrari in his first year, winning at Spa and Monza, his driving was just unbelievable.
“I think he needs that type of car and to be in that type of environment to be able to win constantly.
“Sainz is in a different position, he’s never been dominating like Charles has done. When he was together with [Sebastian] Vettel, he was dominating Vettel left and right.
“These two guys are in two very different situations, positions, and ambitions as well.
“One has got the contract signed so he takes maybe a little bit of distance to think about the future and think about how to help the team, and prepare for the future, and Sainz is there to make as much as possible in the last races with Ferrari because he has no choice.
“So the pressure is different. The mentality of the two is different. I would personally keep Charles instead of Carlos if I had a choice.”
Charles Leclerc needs to bounce back at Chinese Grand Prix – opinion
While Boutsen has been talking about how Leclerc can be for Ferrari, he doesn’t appear to have extracted all the pace out of the car like Sainz.
The Chinese Grand Prix returns to the calendar for the first time in five years this weekend and the 26-year-old has experienced mixed results at the track in the past.
During his debut season with Sauber, he finished the race 19 and it was one of the rare occasions where he was beaten by teammate Marcus Ericsson.
The following year he finished 5 for Ferrari, but Sebastian Vettel finished on the podium that day.
Leclerc will be hoping it’s not a hat-trick of appearances in Shanghai where his teammate beats him to the chequered flag.
The post ‘Unbelievable’: Thierry Boutsen hails ‘incredible’ 32-podium driver who is capable of delivering ‘magic races’ appeared first on F1 Oversteer.