In the F1 paddock, Charles Leclerc is one of the most highly-rated drivers and has been dubbed as a future world champion on many occasions. Naturally, with Lewis Hamilton now revealed to be becoming his teammate from 2025 onwards at Ferrari, the 26-year-old is tipped by ex-F1 driver and pundit, Martin Brundle to give the Briton a run for his money. This is because of a particular skill he possesses, which helps him get the better of Max Verstappen too.
While discussing this blockbuster move with his colleagues over at Sky Sports F1, Brundle gave his insights into how the dynamic between Hamilton and Leclerc would pan out. While he did warn against writing Hamilton off, he favored Leclerc to be setting the pace owing to his supreme qualifying pace.
Brundle explained, “[Charles] Leclerc, I think, is potentially, on an outright Qualifying lap, the fastest driver out there at the moment even including Max Verstappen. He’s blindingly fast.”
In 2023, Leclerc qualified on pole 5 times – at Baku, Spa, Austin, Mexico and Las Vegas. However, a combination of the SF-23 lacking race pace owing to a tire-hungry rear end, and strategy mishaps by the team, he couldn’t convert even a single pole position into a race win.
Ferrari gamble could set off fireworks between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
In 2025, the intra-team battle between Hamilton and Leclerc will be one to watch out for. While Leclerc is the team leader, Hamilton will be eager to win that elusive eighth-world title. Naturally, the 39-year-old will be motivated as ever to get the better of his teammate, no matter who it is.
The entire orchestration of triggering a release clause in his Mercedes contract is based around his pursuit of that 8th title. The Briton has, on multiple occasions, expressed his desire to bow out of the sport on a high. But Mercedes are not in a position to deliver that championship to Hamilton.
⚠️ | Charles Leclerc knew of Lewis Hamilton’s 2025 arrival before he signed his new long-term contract extension.
Carlos Sainz has been aware for a couple of weeks now that Lewis Hamilton would be replacing him in 2025.
[@SkySportsF1] #F1 pic.twitter.com/DWcCR8kVSt
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) February 1, 2024
Lewis Hamilton, for the first time in his career ever, has endured two consecutive winless seasons. With the W13 being a woeful successor to 2021’s W12, Hamilton struggled for pace and results. In 2023, while the W14 was an improvement, it was no where near the pedigree to win in F1. The last time Hamilton won a Grand Prix was back at the 2021 Saudi Arabian GP.
In all honesty, Ferrari aren’t miles ahead of Mercedes either. However, with the legacy they have in this sport and a better track record in 2023, this gamble could might as well pay out massive dividends for the #44 driver.
