Hamilton's Arrival To Ferrari Can Only Benefit Leclerc

F1
Monday, 05 February 2024 at 04:00
leclerc charles ferrari2
Charles Leclerc will be joined by Lewis Hamilton at Scuderia Ferrari for at least two seasons starting in 2025, and here is why it's great for the 26-year-old.
A major story that dominated headlines for the past few days is that Lewis Hamilton will be leaving Mercedes after 12 years of driving for the team to join the red!
By doing so, he will become a teammate of Charles Leclerc, who has also only recently signed a long-term contract with the Italian team, which means he should have a seat in the team at least until 2026 and potentially even until 2029.

What Are Potential Risks For Leclerc?

While Ferrari stated Leclerc, along with his teammate Carlos Sainz, had an equal status within the team, many people suspected the Scuderia favored the Monegasque driver.
With a recent long-term contract, it was thought he would become a clear number one in Ferrari. However, this position is now endangered with the arrival of the seven-time World Champion.
The 39-year-old could take over the team in the near future and push Monegaqsque aside. However, it is expected that everything will be determined based on performances on the track.

Leclerc's Reported Reaction

According to formu1a.uno, the 26-year-old driver knew about the negotiations with Hamilton as they were taking place and was quite open to racing alongside the seven-time World Champion. Apparently, he welcomed the idea and is "very happy" at the moment.

Why Would Leclerc Be Happy?

The Ferrari driver is obviously confident in his abilities, his driving skills, and his speed. He has driven alongside four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel in the past, and he beat the German driver in both seasons they spent together.
His advantage is that Hamilton is coming to Ferrari. At the moment, Ferrari is his team, and it will take time for the Briton to adjust to how the only true Italian team on the grid operates.
This means Leclerc should have the upper hand on Hamilton in 2025. Moreover, there is a lot the 26-year-old can learn from the Mercedes driver.
Even if Hamilton beat him, it shouldn't be that big of a problem because, in the end, he is the seven-time World Champion and currently the most successful F1 driver ever.
And if Leclerc managed to beat the British driver, it would be just incredible, and it would only strengthen his position within the team and on the driver market.
Nevertheless, the two will form arguably the strongest driver pairing on the grid and we look forward to seeing them battle it out on the track.