“He Is Not Special!” Ex-Ferrari Driver Blasts Charles Leclerc Despite Humbling Lewis Hamilton in 2025

Ex-Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario brutally commented against Charles Leclerc's Ferrari career despite defeating Lewis Hamilton in 2025.

“He Is Not Special!” Ex-Ferrari Driver Blasts Charles Leclerc Despite Humbling Lewis Hamilton in 2025

Lewis Hamilton, Fred Vasseur and Charles Leclerc (via Getty)

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Charles Leclerc suffered from a massive challenge in terms of performance in the 2025 season. Though Leclerc beat Lewis Hamilton in the latter’s debut season, it still wasn’t good enough. In the title standings, the Monegasque achieved the P5 spot, leading Hamilton by over 86 points. Now, ex-Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario delivers a brutal take on the 28-year-old’s performance in recent years.

Lewis Hamilton couldn’t even achieve a podium finish in his debut year for Ferrari. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc clinched seven podium finishes, but no race wins to his name. Though the two suffered from performance issues, Leclerc definitely was one of the more impressive drivers on the grid. He was sabotaged by Ferrari’s poor strategy during races and hence couldn’t really emerge as a dominant force.

Former Ferrari driver Arutro Merzario certainly wasn’t too happy with Charles Leclerc and his performances in the 2025 season. The Italian was not mincing his words while criticizing the 28-year-old for his results. Merzario recalled when Leclerc joined the team, claiming that he occupied a seat at Maranello that he simply did not deserve.

Though Arturo Merzario accepted that Charles Leclerc was a good driver, he was nowhere near the top level. Merzario made a bold claim that if random names were picked from a hat, a majority of the drivers were similar to one another and no one was very special. Leclerc was no exception to this, as per the Italian, as he believed that the former was nothing special and just an ordinary driver.

Leclerc ended up occupying a seat at Ferrari that, at the time, he simply didn’t deserve. He’s a very good driver, like many others. If you put a bunch of names in a hat and pick one out, they’re all much the same. He’s not special.

Arturo Merzario told automoto.it.

Arturo Merzario claims Enzo Ferrari wouldn’t have ‘welcomed’ Charles Leclerc even as a customer

Arturo Merzario was not holding back while criticizing Charles Leclerc and his time at Ferrari in recent years. Merzario did not like the fact that Leclerc was boasting about leading a seven-time champion at Maranello. The Italian insisted that Lewis Hamilton wasn’t giving it his all in the team, as he did not feel well integrated within the squad.

Charles Leclerc (via IMAGO)
Charles Leclerc (via IMAGO)

Further, Merzario noted that if Enzo Ferrari were around, he wouldn’t even have entertained Charles Leclerc as a Ferrari customer. He even claimed that Mr. Ferrari wouldn’t have allowed the Monegasque to walk through the gates of Maranello.

Boasting about being ahead of a seven-time world champion like Hamilton makes little sense, when in reality Lewis has taken his foot off the gas because he doesn’t feel integrated within the team. Why would he ever give 110% in those circumstances? If Enzo Ferrari were still around, he wouldn’t have even made it through the gates of Maranello — I’m certain of that. He wouldn’t even have been welcomed as a customer.

Arutro Merzario noted.

Certainly, Charles Leclerc has faced some struggles to convert his pole positions to race-winning performances. However, he still is one of the better drivers on the grid and does not deserve to be subjected to such brutal comments. It is uncertain where Arturo Merzario is coming from, though it could be because of sour feelings because of Leclerc not really performing in recent years.

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