Alan Permane reveals being ‘distracted’ by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s duel at Chinese GP

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Alan Permane was doing his best to guide Racing Bulls to strong results at Shanghai, but seeing Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s battle captivated him.

While Ferrari didn’t expect Hamilton to match Leclerc immediately, there would have been internal frustration within the team over the seven-time world champion’s struggles last season.

But this season has been a very different story, as Hamilton has pushed Leclerc to his limit during their intra-team battles so far.

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Even though Leclerc’s camp has outperformed Hamilton’s when it comes to understanding the power unit, Hamilton has managed to hold his own against Leclerc.

But perhaps no battle between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc has matched the intensity of their duel during the Chinese Grand Prix. In fact, this duel managed to distract other teams.

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Racing Bulls team boss was ‘captivated’ by Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s battle at Chinese GP

In an interview with Gazzetta Italy, Racing Bulls team principal Alan Permane spoke about the goals he has set for both Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad this season.

While speaking about his role in helping them achieve their goals, Permane shared an anecdote about getting distracted by the intense battle between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at Shanghai.

“The first issue on the table is making qualifying more driver-focused and less about power unit management. Then there’s the safety issue, which emerged after Oliver Bearman’s accident in Japan.

“The real challenge is finding the right balance so as not to sacrifice the spectacle; otherwise, we risk solving one problem by creating another.

“During the Chinese Grand Prix, I was a bit distracted from my role, captivated by the duel between the two Ferraris: it was fantastic.”

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Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s rivalry could create problems for Ferrari

While Leclerc initially praised the battle with Hamilton, there seems to be a bit of tension bubbling between the two drivers.

So far, Fred Vasseur hasn’t been concerned about Leclerc and Hamilton and their brewing rivalry. However, there are concerns that he isn’t taking their dynamic very seriously.

So far, Ferrari have managed to earn a podium finish in each race this season. Leclerc earned two P3 finishes while Hamilton earned one.

But as the season goes on, this in-team rivalry could cost Ferrari crucial points in the constructors’ championship race.