In 2025, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will embark on an enticing partnership at Ferrari, marking a new chapter in their illustrious careers. However, Leclerc remained tight-lipped when questioned about his perceived speed relative to the seven-time world champion.
Leclerc has garnered a formidable reputation in qualifying, clinching 23 pole positions and establishing himself as one of the quickest drivers over a single lap. Many pundits consider him to possess the caliber of a world champion racer.
Hamilton, a household name in Formula 1, boasts an impressive record with 104 career poles, 103 wins, and seven driver championships. Throughout his career, he has convincingly outperformed notable teammates such as Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg.
As speculation mounts regarding their future dynamic, a burning question arises: who will emerge as the faster driver while pushing Ferrari’s scarlet machines to their performance limits?
Leclerc remains evasive on this matter for now, acknowledging that the signing caught him by surprise.
Leclerc addressed the media before the 2024 Bahrain GP, discussing the question of who will emerge as the quicker driver; “It is too early to say, I think we’ll know for sure next year where we are compared to him [Hamilton].
“I think it’s going to be very interesting to have alongside me driving the same car, such an incredible champion in Lewis. And I hope that we can really bring the team forward to try and win a championship, which is the goal of everybody and what I want too.”
Although he holds the position of prominence at Ferrari, it’s intriguing to analyze the character of the 26-year-old, who appears unfazed and unperturbed by Hamilton’s arrival into his domain.
This sentiment is particularly noteworthy given the timing of the announcement, which came mere weeks after he reaffirmed his commitment to Ferrari by extending his contract. Leclerc, who joined the team in 2019, expressed his surprise at the news, describing it as unimaginable.
Leclerc spoke about Hamilton’s signing; “To be honest, it’s not something that I imagined would happen, obviously, it was a surprise.
“I knew about it for quite a bit of time, and I knew it before it was announced that there were discussions towards the possibility, but it’s not something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time.”
