Ahead of the Hungarian GP, Charles Leclerc has made a candid confession. The Monegasque admitted that he studies his fellow drivers on the grid right down to the minute details. Those include reading their telemetry data to perhaps find a flaw or a weakness that he can exploit.
Unfortunately, he has failed to find any in Lewis Hamilton. Speaking on BBC’s ‘F1: Chequered Flag’ podcast, Leclerc said,
“I’m really looking forward to it [driving alongside Hamilton] and it will be super interesting for me. I’ve always said, ‘You learn from every single teammate you have over your career.’ To be honest, when I look at the way he drives, because we always look at each other and data, you don’t really see any weaknesses.”
Shortly after announcing Leclerc’s contract extension earlier this year, Ferrari dropped a bombshell with the news of Hamilton’s impending move to Maranello in 2025. The move will see the seven-time champion partner up with the Monegasque.
While Leclerc admittedly aims to finish 2024 on the best of notes with Carlos Sainz, he is looking forward to learning from Hamilton. The 2024 Monaco GP winner already made a mental note of what he needs to observe in Hamilton to learn.
Those traits include the way he interacts with his engineers. Another art he aims to inculcate by replicating his future teammate is the way he delivers his feedback. That, Leclerc believes, will help him become a stronger driver.
The future Ferrari duo already seem to have hit a chord with each other. They recently got together for a dog playdate with Hamilton’s Roscoe and Leclerc’s Leo.
Even before that, Leclerc admitted to being in touch with Hamilton and talking quite frequently. However, Leclerc also revealed that none of those talks included sharing information about their current teams.
Leclerc is the undeclared number-one driver of Ferrari
Given Hamilton’s race and championship-winning credentials, many believed he’d take over the number one driver’s duties at Ferrari after his joining. However, the age factor plays against the Briton, making Leclerc the de facto leader.
What also plays in the Monegasque’s favor is the Ferrari legacy he carries through his academy credentials. Moreover, the 26-year-old is known to be a driver who gets along well with all his teammates. Barring a couple of incidents of hard racing with Sainz this year, they have got along well.
The new regulations will come into play with the start of the 2026 championship. That, as per speculative reports, will be Hamilton’s final year with Ferrari, unless they agree on an extension. Regardless, Leclerc’s stature would only grow while Hamilton continues to cruise in the twilight of his glorious career with the most decorated team in F1’s history.
