David Coulthard thinks ‘stunning’ 26-y/o is now ‘one of the quickest’ F1 drivers

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David Coulthard feels Ferrari star Charles Leclerc is now ‘one of the quickest’ drivers in Formula 1 over a single lap as the Monegasque is just ‘stunning’ during qualifying.

The 26-year-old moved 14th in F1’s all-time standings for pole positions in 2023 after hitting 23 from 125 entries. Leclerc has so far started in P1 during 18.7% of his races in the pinnacle of motorsport. But he has set the fastest lap in 5.7% of his races with seven – the 46th most.

Leclerc claimed his first pole position in F1 at the 2019 Bahrain GP during his first season for Ferrari. It would also lead to his debut podium finish in third place before securing his debut win at the 2019 Belgian GP. The Spa race returned his third of seven pole positions that year.

Charles Leclerc of Ferrari has the 14th-most pole positions in F1

Yet pole positions escaped Leclerc during 2020 before putting his Ferrari P1 on the grid only twice in 2021. But his single-lap success returned in 2022 with nine poles and a further five in 2023. Although Leclerc has not converted his past 12 pole positions into Grand Prix wins.

Not since Leclerc lined up P1 on the grid at the Australian GP in April 2022 has he also taken the chequered flag first. Even if Red Bull’s chief technical officer, Adrian Newey, has admitted he felt Leclerc should have beaten Max Verstappen to win the 2023 Las Vegas GP from pole.

David Coulthard thinks Charles Leclerc is ‘stunning’ in qualifying

But while his races may unravel, former Red Bull racer Coulthard adores what Leclerc offers Ferrari in qualifying. Coulthard ranks 35th for pole positions, among the 106 drivers to start any Formula 1 Grand Prix from P1, on 12. He also set the fastest lap 18 times over 247 races.

“I think Charles is one of the quickest single-lap drivers,” Coulthard said on the Formula for Success podcast. “These are opinions and everyone will have their own opinion. But I think that Charles is a stunning qualifying.”

Leclerc has achieved his most success in qualifying around the Baku City Circuit with three pole positions for Azerbaijan Grand Prix. He has also led the field away at two Mexico City, Belgian, Singapore, Italian, Monaco and Bahrain Grand Prix across the last five F1 seasons.