How Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc might surprise each other in first year as Ferrari teammates
Today at 12:04 PM
While every intra-team rivalry in the 2025 Formula 1 season promises intrigue, one stands out as the most captivating of all.
Ferrari team boss Frederic Vasseur shares the sentiment of many F1 fans: his squad boasts the most formidable driver pairing on the grid. Charles Leclerc successfully outperformed Carlos Sainz in their 2024 head-to-head, but this year, his competition takes on a whole new level of prestige.
Lewis Hamilton joins Ferrari with aspirations of surpassing Michael Schumacher's legendary record of seven world championship titles, aiming to achieve it with the very team that brought the German icon unparalleled success. Although Lewis Hamilton will soon begin testing Ferrari's machinery, he'll only have a limited one-and-a-half days of official track time in Bahrain to familiarize himself with the car before the season opener in Australia.
For the 40-year-old, the priority is quickly acclimating to his new environment. He'll be working with a fresh team of engineers and mechanics who will primarily communicate in English. Still, the British driver has already begun learning Italian phrases to help bridge potential language gaps. Nevertheless, he faces a clear disadvantage compared to Charles Leclerc, who not only speaks fluent Italian but has also built a strong rapport with the countless individuals within the factory and the garage.
The potential surprises between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in 2025
Speaking on his podcast, British former TV commentator and journalist James Allen, who is the president, Motorsport Business, and F1 Liaison of Motorsport Network, previewed the thrilling intra-team battle at the Maranello team , which is set to kick off in March, when the first round of the 2025 Formula 1 campaign will take place at the Albert Park circuit.
James Allen discussed the unique strengths each driver brings and considered how they might react upon experiencing each other's driving styles up close for the first time. He noted that points are awarded on Sundays, emphasizing the importance of having a car capable of sustaining tyre performance over a race divided into three stints of approximately 100 kilometers each.
The British journalist expressed his belief that Hamilton might be surprised by Leclerc's exceptional speed in qualifying. Conversely, he suggested that Charles Leclerc could be taken aback by Hamilton's impressive pace over a race distance, stating that, in his opinion, Hamilton remains among the fastest drivers when it comes to race performance.
Leclerc is widely regarded as one of Formula 1's most outstanding qualifiers, and while Hamilton is undoubtedly aware of his reputation, 2025 will offer him the chance to observe up close how Leclerc consistently delivers such remarkable one-lap performances.
Although the British driver faced challenges in qualifying during the previous season, his performances in Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi demonstrated that he remains a formidable competitor over an entire race distance.
Ferrari will rely on Hamilton and Leclerc's complementary strengths in the 2025 F1 season
Frederic Vasseur is likely banking on the synergy between Leclerc's qualifying prowess and Hamilton's race-day consistency to establish Ferrari as the leading contender for the Constructors' Championship.
Success, however, will depend on both drivers' willingness to cooperate—a challenge that may be manageable initially. Leclerc has already acknowledged that his relationship with Hamilton will differ from the dynamic he shared with Carlos Sainz. However, during their four seasons as teammates, Leclerc and Sainz rarely found themselves fighting directly for victories.
If Ferrari meets its lofty expectations, Leclerc and Hamilton could find themselves sharing the front row of the grid more frequently than not.
It will then fall to the Ferrari team boss to ensure that both drivers remain committed to the team's objectives rather than prioritizing personal ambitions. This will be no small feat, as racing drivers are inherently trained to adopt a self-centered mindset in pursuit of success. Both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, despite their professionalism, are unlikely to abandon this instinct when race wins are on the line.
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