Lewis Hamilton Believed to Be Reason Behind Charles Leclerc Ignoring Mercedes and Red Bull’s Advances

Despite an underwhelming 2023 season, Charles Leclerc remains one of the most sought after drivers. The same gains legitimacy from a recent Gazzetta report. The Italian publication claims the Monegasque turned down Red Bull and Mercedes before signing an extension with Ferrari. Thoughts of sharing the garage with Lewis Hamilton and fighting against him in the same machine was too big a prospect to let go of.

“Leclerc could have turned to Mercedes or Red Bull. Instead, he chose to continue with Ferrari. And one of the reasons was Hamilton himself. The challenge with the English driver is a great motivation for Charles.”

The report also claims that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur and Chairman, John Elkann were completely transparent during the contract extension negotiations. Both office bearers were open with Leclerc about the possibility of signing Hamilton. Carlos Sainz, who too, was negotiating an extension for himself, was aware of it.

The deal with Hamilton went ahead under utmost secrecy. However, Leclerc was among the first people to know about the move. The 26-year-old loved the idea of having a teammate with the kind of experience that can propel Ferrari back to the top. Another thought that got him excited was the memory of the 2019 race win at Monza. Leclerc valiantly fought against the Briton to extract an unlikely win.

How Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move caused a major storm

The news about Hamilton’s 2025 Ferrari move started with unconfirmed reports that snowballed into a social media storm. From fans to experts, and even insiders, everyone was caught unaware. Soon, confirmation came right from the horse’s mouth when Hamilton and Ferrari confirmed the news through their respective socials.

Among the ones who were surprised was Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff. The Austrian manager admitted he was aware of the deal but it was the timing of the move that caught him blindsided.

Announcement of a driver transfer a year in advance certainly is rare in Formula 1. The same can have unfavorable consequences for Hamilton. Although they’d love to give him a befitting farewell with a championship win, they will have to tread carefully over the information they divulge. Surely they’d like to avoid leaking any information that could hurt them in the future.

While this is one thing Mercedes needs to take care of, another is the tough job of finding Hamilton’s replacement. Do they want an experienced driver in Fernando Alonso for a couple of years or do they want an inexperienced yet a fierce competitor in Kimi Antonelli who they can invest in for years to come?