As Motorsport.com reports, Charles Leclerc has firmly rejected Fernando Alonso's claim that the driving standard in the lower third of the Formula 1 grid is low, insisting the level across the entire field is actually "very, very high."
The controversy kicked off following an opening-lap collision at the Circuit of the Americas between Williams driver Alex Albon and Alonso. Afterward, Alonso did not hold back, criticizing the lower third of the grid and standing by his remarks when speaking to the media in Mexico City. "I think the quality of the drivers in the lower third of the grid is very low, as we saw today with Alex," Alonso stated bluntly, adding that he needed to start higher up the order.
I have huge respect for Fernando, I looked up to him a lot growing up as a kid, and obviously it’s not nice to hear those comments in many ways,
Faced with those remarks during the official drivers' press conference in Mexico, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc stepped in to defend his peers. Leclerc pointed out that most of the grid grew up racing against each other in karting, specifically highlighting Albon as someone he looked up to when the Williams driver was competing in higher categories.
Leclerc, currently sitting fifth in the drivers' standings, argued that the machinery is the only real differentiator between the front and the back. "Today, I’m sure that the level of the grid is super, super high, whether it’s in the back, in the middle or in the front," the Monegasque driver said.
Albon, sharing the press conference stage with Leclerc, admitted it stung to hear such criticism from a childhood hero, but made it clear he disagreed. "I have huge respect for Fernando, I looked up to him a lot growing up as a kid, and obviously it’s not nice to hear those comments in many ways," the Williams driver shared.
Albon defended the modern era of the sport against the harsh critique. "I don’t agree. It’s as simple as that. I think the level is strong up and down the grid. I think 10, 15 years ago, the back half of the grid wasn’t the way it is now. We don’t have paid drivers anymore."
