Lewis Hamilton‘s arrival in Maranello next year, in Charles Leclerc’s opinion, presents an “opportunity” for Ferrari and a warning to the other Formula One teams.
When Hamilton revealed in February that this season would be his 12th and final with Mercedes due to a multi-year contract he had signed with Ferrari, it sent shockwaves through the internet.
Lewis Hamilton’s signing, according to Charles Leclerc, is a “huge signal” to rivals.
Many were surprised by the news, including Toto Wolff, the manager of Hamilton’s Mercedes team, given Hamilton had signed a new two-year contract six months before.
Ferrari is licking their lips at the thought of its World Champion driver winning a record-breaking eighth World title and doing it in red, whereas Mercedes is currently pondering what will happen when their driver departs.
It’s a clear message to Ferrari’s competitors and a fantastic chance for Leclerc to learn from the best as a driver.
“I view it as an incredible chance, not only for the team and myself but also for our sport,” he said in an extensive interview with La Stampa. Having a seven-time world champion on the squad is a very important message for us to deliver.
But he remained silent about his initial thoughts following the announcement in February.
He skirted the question when asked what his “first thought” was, saying, “Well, it wasn’t a surprise, I had known for some time that there were discussions.”
“I will have the opportunity to learn from one of the greatest drivers ever, and it inspires me to show what I am capable of.”
A lot of writing has already been done over the Ferrari lineup for 2025, which pits seven-time F1 World Champion Hamilton against six-time Grand Prix winner Leclerc.
Leclerc’s squad, however, is Ferrari. The Monegasque driver rose through the ranks as a Ferrari youngster and even made his Formula One debut with the Sauber team that runs Ferrari engines.
Though maybe we don’t see each other often enough to be friends, there is a great deal of respect and a positive relationship,” he remarked.
We are connected by numerous realms, and I do not doubt that when he gets to Ferrari, our relationship will get tighter. music as well.
“He already knows my music, he wrote to me when the first things came out, and we discuss it quite a bit,” he said, revealing that Hamilton had written to him when he had released his first piano tune.
Carlos Sainz, Leclerc’s current teammate, is still searching for a position in Formula 1, and he is frequently associated with Williams and Audi.
As soon as Hamilton’s visit was known, Leclerc admits he felt “sorry” for his teammate.
“I have an amazing relationship with Carlos after many years,” he remarked.
“As an individual, I was deeply saddened by the news I received. However, when you sign a contract with a team, you agree to an expiration date that may not be immediately apparent, but must be faced eventually.”