Ferrari new boy Leclerc maybe faster than Vettel, says Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone admitted Thursday that he misjudged the potential and speed of Charles Leclerc and hinted that the Ferrari new boy may be faster than team-mate and four-times world champion Sebastian Vettel.

The former commercial supremo of Formula One had been a critic of Ferrari's decision to bring in Leclerc as a replacement for Kimi Raikkonen.

But, he told La Gassetta dello Sport, he knows now that this was an error of judgement.

"I was wrong, I thought that sending Raikkonen away was not a good move," said Ecclestone.

"I will have to wait a while before making a final judgement, of course, but at the moment Charles seems to be super-fast.

"He's got great car control and he is, perhaps, even faster than Vettel. Seb isn't old though so what's happening to him now is strange.

"Maybe he had thought he had an easy life and he didn't realise how fast Charles could be, but now he knows -- and I still believe that Vettel can win the championship."