"Guys like them, they’re really special" - Former F1 driver praises adaptability of the sport's top quartet

Former F1 driver Pedro de la Rosa recently revealed what he believes makes Lewis Hamilton, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc, and Max Verstappen special. Together, these four drivers have a tally of ten world championship titles. While Leclerc is yet to win his first, his prospects for the same this season are extremely high, given his significant lead in the drivers' standings as of now.

On the F1 Nation podcast, de la Rosa spoke about an incident with the seven-time world champion at the McLaren simulator in 2009. This was when the drivers took some time to familiarize themselves with the newly added Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit back then. He said:

“I saw Lewis [Hamilton] adapt to new tracks in the simulator, with exactly the same approach in getting used to a new track behind the wheel of a real car. For example, it took me several work sessions to remember Abu Dhabi when this was new in the simulator. I spent all morning working on the simulator, accumulating several laps. Lewis, on the other hand, arrived at lunchtime, when I was already quite satisfied with the work done.”

The Spaniard then went on to say:

“He went to the simulator and asked me: ‘Is the first corner to the left or to the right?’ At that point I pointed out to him that he hadn’t checked the track map, and he confirmed this forgetfulness, and I told him it was ‘a left-hander, third gear to the left’. After three laps, only three laps, he did exactly the same time that I had done in the morning. This is true, and I’m not very proud of it.”

Pointing out that it is their ability to adapt that sets the quartet apart from the rest, the 51-year-old added, saying:

“Under normal circumstances, I could equal his [Lewis Hamilton] lap time too. The problem is when the tires degrade, you have more fuel or there are particular conditions such as rain and wind. The difference is that Lewis – like [Fernando] Alonso, [Max] Verstappen and [Charles] Leclerc – adapt faster. If you put on a new set of tires, they will pick up extra grip. It would have taken me two more laps, which is obviously when you are losing the peak of the tire. It’s the beauty of working with guys like them, they’re really special.”

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc represent the next generation of F1 drivers, who are set to break the benchmarks set by the likes of Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

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Former F1 driver claims Charles Leclerc may be a threat to Max Verstappen in future

Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger claimed that Lewis Hamilton and three-time F1 world champion Ayrton Senna are two special drivers that have left their mark on the sport. He also went on to anoint Max Verstappen as the driver most likely to be their heir. He, however, opined that Ferrari's Charles Leclerc is expected to pose a significant threat to the Dutchman in the long run.

Pointing out the similarities between Senna and Hamilton, Berger told La Gazzetta dello Sport:

“[Lewis] Hamilton is very similar to Ayrton [Senna] in the way he runs races, but also in the way he works politically and the way he directs the team. Senna had a charismatic personality that won the hearts of almost everyone. Ayrton and Lewis are similar and special. Their heir may be [Max] Verstappen, but [Charles] Leclerc can win many world championships.”

Only time will tell if Leclerc can emerge as a roadblock to Verstappen's title defense and win his first championship.