Aun estamos en descanso de mitad de temporada y sin carreras de que hablar pues que tal la eterna discusion de quien es mas rapido en clasificasion entre Charles Leclerc y Max Verstappen siempre regresa, no importa si estamos en pleno campeonato o en temporada baja alguien siempre lo saca y la verdad no es una conversacion facil por que depende de no solo lo que vemos en Qualy sino el contexto de cada fin de semana, yo recuerdo clarito el 2022 cuando Ferrari tenia un misil a una vuelta y Leclerc saco 9 poles mientras Max solo pudo hacer 7 y para que quede claro eso era una locura por que el siguiente piloto fue Sainz con apenas 3, el resto del grid sinceramente estaba lejos, solo ellos dos estaban jugando en otra liga. Pero claro de nada sirve hacer pole si despues no tienes la agresion suficiente para aguantar la carrera y ese fue el gran pecado de Leclerc, muchas poles que se convirtieron en derrotas, la famosa estadistica de que era el piloto que mas veces no transformaba la pole en victoria, eso lo marcó y sigue siendo la cruz que carga cuando lo comparan con Verstappen.
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We are still in the mid-season break and with no races to talk about, so how about the eternal debate about who is faster in qualifying between Charles Leclerc and Max Verstappen? It always comes up, no matter if we are in the middle of the championship or in the off-season, someone always brings it up, and the truth is that it is not an easy conversation because it depends not only on what we see in qualifying but also on the context of each weekend. I clearly remember 2022 when Ferrari had a one-lap missile and Leclerc took nine pole positions while Max could only manage seven. To be clear, that was crazy because the next driver was Sainz with just three, and the rest of the grid was honestly nowhere near. Only the two of them were playing in another league. But of course, there's no point in getting pole position if you don't have the aggression to hold on to it during the race, and that was Leclerc's big mistake. He had many pole positions that turned into defeats, and the famous statistic that he was the driver who failed to convert pole position into victory the most times marked him and continues to be the cross he carries when he is compared to Verstappen.
En el 2023 la cosa cambio, Red Bull se convirtio en un tanque indestructible domingo tras domingo, Max no siempre brillaba en Quali pero la constancia era brutal en carrera, lo curioso es que Leclerc seguia mostrando que en una sola vuelta podia ser mas peligroso que cualquiera, pero Ferrari nunca le dio el auto completo para convertir eso en un campeonato basicamente parecia como si el auto solo tuviera "Modo Quali" y cuando venia el domingo de carrera pues fuese un auto distinto, Leclerc podia sacar una vuelta magica pero Max dominaba las 55 restantes, ahi es donde se siente que no es solo un tema de talento sino de entorno completo, auto, estrategia y mente fria, por que ese era el otro problema que en el 2022 Ferrari tuvo tal ves el record de peores estrategias como la frustante carrera en Monaco. Si comparamos los dos, Leclerc es posiblemente el mas agresivo para calentar neumaticos, arriesgar en la entrada a curva y clavar registros que parecen imposibles pero Max tiene un factor de consistencia que lo hace lucir hasta mas fluido, mas normal aunque vaya al limite y eso pesa mas al final del dia, si cambiaramos los papeles y fuese Max que estuviera en Ferrari inclusive cuidado y aun asi le ganaria a Leclerc por que te aseguro que como lo hemos visto hasta ahora no se hubiese dejado mandar de a dedo por nadie en Ferrari asi como les gusta hacer, como lo hacia Binotto con Leclerc, como lo quiso hacer con Sainz y NO pudo, aqui ya me estoy basando en lo que es el fuera de pista de un piloto.
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In 2023, things changed. Red Bull became an indestructible tank Sunday after Sunday. Max didn't always shine in qualifying, but his consistency in the race was brutal. The funny thing is that Leclerc continued to show that in a single lap he could be more dangerous than anyone else, but Ferrari never gave him the complete car to turn that into a championship. It basically seemed as if the car only had “Qualifying Mode.” and when race day came, it was a different car. Leclerc could pull off a magical lap, but Max dominated the remaining 55. That's where you feel that it's not just a matter of talent but of the whole environment, the car, the strategy, and a cool head, because that was the other problem that Ferrari had in 2022. They had perhaps the worst strategies, such as the frustrating race in Monaco. If we compare the two, Leclerc is possibly the most aggressive when it comes to warming up tires, taking risks on corner entry, and setting times that seem impossible, but Max has a consistency factor that makes him look even more fluid, more normal, even when he's pushing to the limit, and that counts for more at the end of the day. If we switched roles and Max was at Ferrari, even if he was careful, he would still beat Leclerc because I can assure you that, as we have seen so far, he would not have let himself be bossed around by anyone at Ferrari, as they like to do, as Binotto did with Leclerc, as he wanted to do with Sainz and could not. Here I am basing my opinion on what a driver is like off the track.
Ya entrando en 2024 la cosa tomo otro rumbo por que McLaren aparecio de la nada a robar titulares, Piastri fue subiendo y Norris de repente parecia el rival mayor de Max, pero entre ese ruido Leclerc volvio a levantar su nivel, varios fines de semana fue el unico capaz de pelear cara a cara en vuelta rapida contra Max y Russell, en internet se mencionaba este tema incluso en ese momento a Leclerc lo catalogan como uno de los 3 mas rapidos del grid junto a Max y George, y no es casualidad, si los pones a loes tres con autos identicos en ese moment Leclerc esta en ese top 3 fijo, tal ves Max tenga la ventaja en estabilidad, tal vez Leclerc tenga ese plus de hambre por arriesgar hasta lo ultimo, pero lo que no se puede negar es que hay dias donde Max hace magia llevando al limite un carro que no deberia estar alli, como Japon 2023 o Arabia 2024 y alli Leclerc no siempre responde igual, a veces se queda corto, otras veces clava la pole como Hungría con condiciones cambiantes y deja a todos con la boca abierta, es decir Max esta los dias que mas lo necesitas mientras otros pilotos como Norris o Leclerc se quiebran y pierden el control aun bajo las condiciones perfectas. Lo que si se noto en ese periodo es que Verstappen aprendio a ser mas “qualy driver” de lo que era antes, siempre se le conocio mas como un domingo killer pero en estos ultimos años empezo a firmar poles inesperadas, esa evolucion es algo que marcó la diferencia porque redujo el margen de ventaja que tenia Leclerc a una vuelta, en cambio Charles sigue teniendo el mismo problema de siempre, la vuelta es perfecta, pura velocidad, pero luego el domingo se desgasta rapido, pierde ritmo, se queda atrapado peleando contra rivales que Verstappen liquida en dos esquinas, entonces otra vez se queda el discurso de que si Leclerc fuese tan constante como Max ya tendria un titulo, pero los numeros no mienten, Max convierte mucho mas sus posiciones en resultados finales, Charles acumula mas frustracion en ese punto. Verstappen desde que entro a Red Bull ha tenido autos rapidos pero cuando cambiaron a Honda y vino la generacion de auto actual que son la de bastante carga aerodinamica que mantienen el auto pegado al suelo es como si hubiese dado la confiansa a Verstappen de llevar el auto al limite y aun teniendo el control del mismo, el RB19 fue el auto que tal ves convirtio a Verstappen en el mounstruo que es hoy en dia y sabe hasta donde puede llevar un auto y exprimirle hasta lo ultimo, cosa que Leclerc pareciera no tener muy definida y es como una falta de confiansa.
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As we entered 2024, things took a different turn because McLaren appeared out of nowhere to steal the headlines, Piastri was on the rise, and Norris suddenly seemed to be Max's biggest rival, but amid all the noise, Leclerc raised his game again. For several weekends, he was the only one capable of fighting head-to-head in quick laps against Max and Russell. This topic was even mentioned on the internet at the time, with Leclerc being ranked as one of the three fastest drivers on the grid alongside Max and George, and it's no coincidence. If you put the three of them in identical cars at that moment, Leclerc would definitely be in the top three. Maybe Max has the advantage in terms of stability, maybe Leclerc has that extra hunger to take risks to the limit, But what cannot be denied is that there are days when Max works magic, pushing a car that shouldn't be there to the limit, like in Japan in 2023 or Saudi Arabia in 2024, and Leclerc doesn't always respond in the same way. Sometimes he falls short, other times he nails pole position, like in Hungary with changing conditions, and leaves everyone speechless. In other words, Max is there when you need him most, while other drivers like Norris or Leclerc crack and lose control even under perfect conditions. What was noticeable during that period is that Verstappen learned to be more of a “qualifying driver” than he was before. He was always known more as a Sunday killer, but in recent years he has started to score unexpected pole positions. That evolution is something that made the difference because it reduced Leclerc's advantage to one lap, whereas Charles continues to have the same problem as always: the lap is perfect, pure speed, but then on Sunday he wears out quickly, loses pace, and gets caught up fighting rivals that Verstappen takes out in two corners. So once again, the argument arises that if Leclerc were as consistent as Max, he would already have a title, but the numbers don't lie. Max converts his positions into final results much more, while Charles accumulates more frustration at that point. Since joining Red Bull, Verstappen has had fast cars, but when they switched to Honda and the current generation of cars came along, with their high downforce that keeps the car glued to the ground, it's as if Verstappen has been given the confidence to push the car to the limit and still maintain control. the RB19 was the car that perhaps turned Verstappen into the monster he is today. He knows how far he can push a car and squeeze every last drop out of it, something that Leclerc doesn't seem to have quite figured out yet, and it comes across as a lack of confidence.
Ahora en 2025 lo que estamos viendo es un Max que aun conserva ese aura de monstruo a una sola vuelta en circuitos de flujo medio y rapido, Suzuka, Silverstone, Arabia, SPA, alli parece intocable pero tambien tenemos un Leclerc que esta regresando a un modo muy cercano al 2022 y de hecho hay fines de semana donde parece hasta mas rapido, sobre todo en esos momentos de presion pura, cuando es clasificacion y faltan dos minutos el tipo se enciende como si fuera todo o nada, alli lo he visto sacar vueltas que dejan frio a todo el paddock, inclusive los analistas lo ponian al mismo nivel de Lewis Hamilton en sus años de prime aunque si Verstappen destruye a Leclerc ni hablemos de Hamilton Prime, pero si es cierto que esa capacidad de clavar la vuelta decisiva en el instante exacto es algo de muy pocos pilotos no solo en talento sino aquellos que han logrado tener ese auto que les dio la oportunidad como si hubiesen desbloqueado el siguiente nivel, hay algunos con la capacidad y talento pero que nunca les ha llegado el auto adecuado. Por eso yo no puedo decir que uno es claramente mejor que el otro, por que la verdad es que en lo que respecta a Qualy, estan tan parejos que depende mas del dia, de la pista, hasta del clima, pero ahora esta el gran problema del Sr que todo lo aprende y todo lo adapta, Oscar Piastri, es como la version perfecta del Cell en Dragon Ball, solo tiene que el ver pasar las cosas una ves y ya las aprende, solo vio a Verstappen ganar el Sprint en SPA y desbloquio el cheat code aplicando la misma estrategia, es un hombre de cometer errores solo UNA ves y esto lo convierte en un peligro no solo en Quali sino en Carrera tambien, la proxima temporada va a ser una locura de temporada por que no solo cambia el auto sino que hay pilotos que han evolucionado de una manera brutal como Piastri, Norris, Albon y otros que aun estan en el mismo camino.
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Now in 2025, what we are seeing is a Max who still retains that aura of a monster on a single lap on medium and fast circuits, Suzuka, Silverstone, Arabia, SPA, where he seems untouchable, but we also have a Leclerc who is returning to a form very close to 2022 and in fact there are weekends where he seems even faster, especially in those moments of pure pressure, when it's qualifying and there are two minutes left, the guy lights up as if it were all or nothing. I've seen him pull laps that leave the entire paddock cold. Even the analysts put him on the same level as Lewis Hamilton in his prime, although if Verstappen destroys Leclerc, let's not even talk about Hamilton Prime. But it's true that the ability to nail the decisive lap at the exact moment is something that very few drivers have, not only in terms of talent, but also those who have managed to get the car that gave them the opportunity, as if they had unlocked the next level. There are some with the ability and talent, but they've never had the right car. That's why I can't say that one is clearly better than the other, because the truth is that when it comes to qualifying, they are so evenly matched that it depends more on the day, the track, even the weather. But now there is the big problem of Mr. Oscar Piastri, who learns everything and adapts to everything. He's like the perfect version of Cell in Dragon Ball. He only has to see things happen once and he learns them. He only saw Verstappen win the Sprint at SPA and unlocked the cheat code by applying the same strategy. He's a man who makes mistakes only ONCE, and this makes him a danger not only in Quali but also in the race. Next season is going to be crazy because not only is the car changing, but there are drivers who have evolved in a brutal way, like Piastri, Norris, Albon, and others who are still on the same path.
Para cerrar lo que quiero dejar claro es esto, Verstappen tiene la consistencia, la capacidad de amarrar sabados solidos y convertirlos en domingos implacables, Leclerc en cambio tiene la chispa para sacar la vuelta mas rapida bajo condiciones extremas, lo que lo hace tal vez el mejor a una sola vuelta en frio, pero no siempre el mas confiable en un campeonato completo, en 2022 el numero lo favorecio en poles pero luego nada de ello sirvio para titulo, en 2024 empezo a recuperar ese pulso y en 2025 lo tenemos otra vez metido en la conversacion, pero lo que al final diferencia a ambos es que Max ya tiene los campeonatos que respaldan su nivel, Leclerc de momento tiene que demostrar que esas poles algun dia se conviertan en gloria real, pole position sin victoria saben a puro humo y eso es lo que tiene que cambiar para poder considerarlo igual o incluso encima de Verstappen por completo, para mi en condiciones identicas y autos parejos pues Verstappen es mas rapido.
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To conclude, what I want to make clear is this: Verstappen has consistency, the ability to secure solid Saturdays and turn them into relentless Sundays. Leclerc, on the other hand, has the spark to get the fastest lap under extreme conditions, which makes him perhaps the best on a single lap in cold conditions, but he is not always the most reliable in a full championship. In 2022, the numbers favored him in pole positions, but none of that helped him win the title. In 2024, he began to regain his momentum, and in 2025, he is back in the conversation. But what ultimately sets the two apart is that Max already has the championships to back up his level. Leclerc, for now, has to prove that those pole positions will one day turn into real glory. Pole position without a win is just smoke and mirrors, and that's what has to change for him to be considered equal to or even above Verstappen. For me, in identical conditions and with equal cars, Verstappen is faster.⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⣀⡤⠐⠒⠂⠀⠐⠄⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
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