Ferrari team boss: "Hamilton takes pressure off Leclerc, the result in Australia won't matter much"
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The World Championship won't be decided immediately
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, during the presentation of the Ferrari SF-25, did not hide the ambitions of the Maranello team—winning both World Championship titles after only coming close to the Constructors’ title last year. The tests in Bahrain did not clear the 'fog' of uncertainty regarding the pecking order on track, but McLaren did send some signals to its rivals, especially in the long runs.
Charles Leclerc stated that the verdict in Melbourne will not be a defining moment for the 2025 World Championship, and team principal Fred Vasseur shares the same view. "The result of the first race won't matter much," the French manager told *Il Corriere della Sera* in today's edition. "Albert Park is a unique track, but even in the following races, it will be difficult to assess (the true competitiveness of the cars, ed.). It will be hot in Australia, cold in China and Japan. Then we'll return to Bahrain, this time with much higher temperatures than during testing. This could be the most exciting season in 30 years, with huge challenges." – the Frenchman pointed out.
A year ago in Australia, Ferrari missed out on pole position due to a few too many mistakes by Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz in Q3, but Max Verstappen's early technical failure opened the door for a Ferrari one-two, with Sainz finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc. (Maranello's team had already dominated in Melbourne in 2022 with the Monegasque driver.) If Ferrari benefits from favorable conditions again, it won't necessarily be an indicator of real performance, just as the colder temperatures in Shanghai and Suzuka will have an impact.
Albert Park will host the first intra-Ferrari duel between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, and Frederic Vasseur is convinced that the latter will allow Leclerc to approach races with a more relaxed mindset compared to recent years: "From the first day I started talking to Lewis, I was convinced that he would also be beneficial for Charles by taking some pressure off him. And after four years alongside Carlos, the best way for Charles to learn was to have a new teammate." – the Ferrari team principal concluded.
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