Leclerc Reveals Whether Hamilton's Signing Impacted His Contract Negotiations
F1Wednesday, 14 February 2024 at 05:00
Charles Leclerc will have a new teammate in 2025, and the announcement came shortly after he signed his new contract.
The most recent weeks have been really busy for Ferrari fans. First, Leclerc extended his contract with the Italian team beyond the 2024 season. Initially, it was expected that his current teammate, Carlos Sainz, would follow, but that didn't happen.
Out of nowhere, rumors started swirling about Lewis Hamilton possibly joining Ferrari, and only a few hours later, the British driver signed a contract with the team from Maranello.
Leclerc was, of course, aware of the situation, as it was one of the points during his own contract negotiations. Those were quite long, even though it was always expected that the Monegasque driver would extend his contract.
After the launch of the team's new car for the 2024 season, SF-24, Leclerc spoke about his new teammate for the 2025 season, and how his move to the red team impacted his own contract negotiations.
"No, it hasn’t changed anything in my discussions. Again, I focus on myself and what’s good for me. There was no change of any requirements whatsoever."
Still, Leclerc confirmed that he knew that Hamilton would be joining the team, as Ferrari representatives mentioned it to him during the negotiations.
It's an important fact to mention to the driver, and that's why the Monegasque pointed it out as an important move by the team. Still, the signature of the seven-time World Champion has not impacted Leclerc in any way.
"For me, it wasn’t part of my discussions. I think it was good that the team was transparent anyway, just for me to not learn [about Hamilton’s deal] after that, but it didn’t change anything for me."
For now, the 26-year-old will need to focus on his 2024 season alongside Carlos Sainz, as his new teammate will join the team only in 2025.
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