Ex-Ferrari boss claims Lewis Hamilton can help Charles Leclerc ‘grow’ at Maranello
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are one of the most high profile names on the current F1 grid.
Follow Us
Charles Leclerc with Lewis Hamilton and Maurizio Arrivabene (all images via IMAGO)
The biggest news of the 2024 season came even before the commencement of the F1 campaign. Lewis Hamilton had decided to part ways with Mercedes after a 12-year-long stint with the team to join Ferrari in 2025. Subsequently, reflecting on the move, the former Ferrari boss, Maurizio Arrivabene reckoned that Hamilton would help Charles Leclerc grow and potentially become a world champion.
Lewis Hamilton made his debut in F1 in 2007 with McLaren. The Brit became a world champion in his sophomore year and won six more championships when he switched to Mercedes. However, the Brackley-based squad soon fell into trouble with the introduction of the ground effect era and a potential move to Ferrari opened up.
The seven-time world champion signed for Ferrari and soared headlines in F1. While hiring the 39-year-old for the team, the Italian squad would also be able to tap into his expertise and help Charles Leclerc grow, as Maurizio Arrivabene explained.
Lewis[Hamilton] can help Charles[Leclerc] grow, the first opponent of a driver is his teammate.Maurizio Arrivabene said in an interview as quoted by Formula Passion
The 67-year-old reckoned that an intra-team rivalry would develop in Maranello. This would help the Monegasque driver develop his skills and become a more mature driver and help bring the glory back to Italian squad.
Charles Leclerc admits he would learn a lot from Lewis Hamilton
Witnessing the vast amount of experience that Hamilton brings to the team, the 26-year-old would learn a lot from him. Moreover, Leclerc reckoned that learning from a seven-time world champion would help him hone his skills and get ready for the challenges up ahead.
The Monegasque admitted that pairing up with the 39-year-old was an incredible opportunity for him.
For me, it's an incredible opportunity. First, to learn from the most successful driver ever. And to prove myself as well against Lewis, who is a benchmark for everybody.Charles Leclerc said in an interview with BBC Sport
Leclerc claimed that while learning from Hamilton would be incredible, proving himself against him would be even better. Subsequently, the 26-year-old deemed the Brit to be a benchmark for everybody, and matching him on pace would prove his ability to the paddock.
Despite the Ferrari driver reckoning he would beat Hamilton in their first year as teammates, the latter has found untapped performance in the concurrent season. Moreover, he has been outperforming his teammate in the intra-team rivalry at Mercedes and is looking to extend his advantage.
In case you missed it:
- Charles Leclerc claims Ferrari to continue ‘paying the price’ at tracks like Hungarian GP
- Sergio Perez claims Red Bull ‘struggling’ with balance after new upgrades at Hungarian GP
Stay Updated!
Geetansh Pasricha
(772 Articles Published)