Leclerc 'Will Be Quicker' Than Hamilton But Will Win Less Says Coulthard

Saturday, 28 September 2024 at 21:00

Former F1 driver David Coulthard shared his opinion on the upcoming matchup between future Ferrari teammates Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

The 2025 season will be exciting for two reasons. First, the trend of close battles for victories should continue (and perhaps be even closer).

Second, the F1 grid will be reshuffled, and we will see new driver pairings, such as Russell—Antonelli, Ocon—Bearman, Sainz—Albon, and Hamilton—Leclerc.

That last one is generally the most exciting comparison that many F1 fans on our social media look forward to. Who will come out on top? The experienced but older seven-time World Champion or the super quick and young Monegasque who is considered a future World Champion?

Former F1 driver David Coulthard discussed the future Ferrari line-up and shared his opinion on the battle between Hamilton and Leclerc on the Formula for Success podcast.

"I think Charles will be, on average, quicker. But I think that there's a real chance that Lewis will piece together more victories."

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The Mercedes driver is generally one of the most consistent drivers on the grid, rarely making mistakes, and he showed it even in 2023. While he didn't have the second-fastest car on many occasions, he still finished third in the drivers' championship.

On the other hand, Charles Leclerc has made quite a few mistakes in the past, but in 2024, he has also shown he can deliver when he has a competitive car, as he won the races in Italy and Monaco. Coulthard added:

"Until Charles either is the final product of a world champion and he becomes that man that just suddenly starts doing the sort of performances year in and year out that we've seen from Lewis or Michael [Schumacher] or Ayrton [Senna] or whoever your favorite driver is."