Charles Leclerc has expressed his anticipation for his upcoming partnership with Lewis Hamilton, viewing it as an opportunity to showcase his abilities.
Hamilton, who will be departing from Mercedes at the end of the current season, will join Leclerc at Ferrari. This collaboration marks Hamilton’s transition from Mercedes to Ferrari, where he will become Leclerc’s third full-time teammate, following Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.
Hamilton’s remarkable track record in Formula 1, boasting 103 race wins and nearly 200 podium finishes, establishes him as the most successful driver in the sport’s history based on statistics alone, ranking third in terms of race entries.
When questioned about the potential for learning from Hamilton, Leclerc affirmed his readiness to absorb knowledge from the seven-time F1 champion, stating, “Of course, I will learn from Lewis.
“It’s also an opportunity for me to show what I’m able to do, which I take as an exciting challenge. I think it’s going to be great.
“I knew [for] quite a few months that it was a possibility, that it was on the table.
“It was still a surprise to learn that there was [an] opportunity of this happening.”
The partnership between Leclerc and Sainz at Ferrari began at the commencement of the 2021 season and is poised to become the team’s most enduring pairing since the days of Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello.
After securing victory in Australia last weekend, Leclerc has expressed confidence in Sainz’s ability to secure a new position in Formula 1.
When reminiscing about his time alongside Sainz, Leclerc emphasized the strength of their bond, stating, “I’ve had a really amazing relationship with Carlos.
“We have had amazing years together, more difficult years also together as a team, because the performance was not exactly where we wanted.
“But we have been working extremely well together and we are looking forward to this last year together in order to end that in the best way possible.
“Then Lewis will be joining the team, which is an amazing challenge for me, because he’s the most successful driver in F1 history.
“It’s going to be great to have him as a team-mate.”
