After years in the wilderness, Sauber under new leadership found themselves in the heart of the midfield with a car that served them well, proving that Marcus Ericsson was not so bad but far better was his rookie teammate Charles Leclerc.
No surprise the latter moves up to Ferrari while the former heads off to Indycar. Leclerc was fortunate to be given a handy platform to show his talent, unlike contemporaries Sergey Sirotkin or Stoffel Vandoorne, and he grabbed it with both hands.
Herewith, along with a selection of the drivers’ more memorable quotes, are the Leclerc and Ericsson Report Cards:
Marcus Ericsson
- Latest Ferrari engine a big leap for Sauber
- An amazing feeling to be back in the points
- To save weight I don’t use a drink system
- The most attractive for me is IndyCar
- My goal is still to come back into Formula 1
- I am all fine, it was a big one
BS: Long a controversial figure at Sauber for his ability to outlast seemingly more-talented drivers, his run with the team came to an end in 2018, but oddly enough, not before giving his reputation a significant boost with his best season yet. Sure, against teammate Charles Leclerc his stats don't look too good – 4-17 in qualifying, 3-9 in races – but that's why the Frenchman is widely regarded as a future world champion, and by consistently hovering around the top-10, Ericsson showed this year an ability to be a solid, if unspectacular F1 driver. Don't be surprised if the next time a team's finances slide into the red, the Swede is the first driver they call.
PV: Marcus showed that with a handy car in Formula 1 even a journeyman driver can do reasonably well, but the Swede was simply no match for 'the guy in the other car' and no surprise his minders have redirected his career towards Indycar where he may well shine, but he was never cut for Formula 1 as time showed.
Rating: 6/10
Charles Leclerc
- I’m sure Jules and Dad are watching from above
- I understood my errors and made a big step forward
- I’m not surprising myself
- Dreams do come true…
- I don’t feel the pressure at all
- I need to deliver, I am not going to Ferrari to learn
DNFs: 6
BS: The undisputed breakout star of 2018, it's hard to see what more Leclerc could've done to impress in his debut F1 season. Comfortably ahead of teammate Marcus Ericsson, the 21-year-old often managed to put his car further up the grid than it realistically belonged, with three straight P7s to finish the season further attesting to his quality. Unsurprisingly, Ferrari wasted no time promoting him to their senior team, where all signs point to him being a legitimate threat to four-time champion Sebastian Vettel.
PV: Despite a slightly wobbly start to Formula 1 Charles proved he was the real deal with outright flawless performances, wrestling the Sauber to positions it had no place being. He made mincemeat of his more experienced teammate, emerging as a gutsy, fast and determined driver, the increasingly popular Monaco Kid deserves a crack at the big time and all indications suggest he has the right stuff for Ferrari. He passed his rookie season with flying colours. For now, a star is born, next year we will see how bright he can shine
Rating: 9/10
| Leclerc | Ericsson | |
|---|---|---|
| 13th | Championship Position | 17th |
| 39 | Points | 9 |
| 17 | Qualifying | 4 |
| -0.605s | Qual. Pace Difference | |
| 7th | Best Qualification | 7th |
| 9 | Race | 3 |
| 6th | Best Finish | 9th |
| 6 | DNFs | 4 |
Note: Ben Stevens (BS) and Paul Velasco (PV)
https://www.grandprix247.com/2018/11/06/vasseur-leclerc-is-ready-to-drive-for-ferrari/
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