Ferrari’s 2025 line-up involving Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton has all the ingredients to potentially become the most effective pairing on the track, as the Italian outfit looks to climb back to the top of F1. Team Principal Fred Vasseur is already seeing Hamilton and Leclerc developing a respectful bond, which will be essential for Ferrari’s cause.
Vasseur craves a healthy relationship with his future drivers – much like Leclerc has had with Carlos Sainz. However, for that, he thinks they should be familiar with each other before Hamilton’s Maranello stint officially gets underway.
As per La Reppublica, Vasseur said,
“They have already started to get a little closer in these last two months, it’s a training period, like a honeymoon.”
Vasseur is also glad about the fact that there are no pre-existing tensions between Leclerc and Hamilton whatsoever. They already get along well, and have a ton of mutual respect for one another. Vasseur will expect both his drivers to maintain that, even if they aren’t best friends off track.
Sainz, on the other hand, has had a few nervy moments with Leclerc so far this campaign. Overall, they don’t share a bad relationship, but with 2024 being the Spaniard’s last season in Italy, he is looking to make a statement.
Charles Leclerc’s relationship with current teammate Carlos Sainz
In the four seasons they have spent as teammates, Sainz and Leclerc never had any major tussles. Yes, there were feisty battles on the track, but both drivers gave each other the respect they felt they deserved.
This season, however, Sainz has approached the races with his elbows out from the get-go. Last month in China, they had a few close encounters on the track with Leclerc accusing the Madrid-born driver of crossing the line.
Sainz reiterated that he was just racing hard, but they were inches away from causing a double DNF. Which would be catastrophic for Ferrari in the team’s battle for P2 in the Championship with McLaren.
When Sainz’s future gets sorted (for 2025), his nerves may calm down more with him having nothing much to prove. Leclerc, on the other hand, will be bracing up ahead of teaming with one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time – Lewis Hamilton.
