Alfa-Romeo team Manager Beat Zehnder has worked in his career with many great pilots. This also includes the later formula 1 include, among other things, record-breaking world champion Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen. But no one had been in all the years as Charles Leclerc, reveals Zehnder to 'Motorsport-Total.com'.

"had seen a rider like Charles, I never," says Zehnder, who worked in 2018, in the case of Clean with Rookie Leclerc. Although the Team had also previously been the young drivers in their ranks. "But it was the first Time in a long time that we had a Newcomer, a very special driver with a very special setting," says Zehnder.

"It was a very good season and a very interesting season," he recalls and explains: "I've always said that [Leclerc] is Raikkonen's Speed Kimi and his work, setting forth, probably Michael [Schumacher]." The 54-Year-old is convinced: "Give him a good car, then he is definitely the champion of the world."

Marcus Ericsson, the 2018 team-mate of Leclerc was, reported: "I knew immediately that this guy is special and has a particular Talent." The Swede reveals: "When he came to Ferrari, and against Vettel took, I knew that he would be very competitive." Leclerc was promoted after just one season with Sauber, for 2019 to the Ferrari factory team.

The season, he finished with two Wins and the world championship, Fourth -, and thus a Position in front of his team-mate Sebastian Vettel. Ericsson admits that even he had not expected that it would beat Leclerc, in his first year at the Scuderia as well. The Swede believes that he is benefiting from Leclerc's good performances in Red.

"He has helped me to show what a driver I am," said Ericsson, who believes that Leclerc's team duel between the two achievements back in season 2018 in a new light. The Monegasque 39:9 points could be decided clearly for himself, although he was driving at the time of his first formula 1 season, and Ericsson already has its fifth - and last.

This article was written by Ruben Zimmermann, Co-author: Luke Smith

*The post "Beat Zehnder: Leclerc as a mixture of Schumacher and Raikkonen" is published by Motorsport-Total.com. Contact with the executives here.