Has Ferrari given up on Charles Leclerc with Lewis Hamilton’s signing?
Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari arrival indicates a shift in Maranello's future plans surrounding Charles Leclerc.
Follow Us
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc (via Sky Sports)
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton will join Scuderia Ferrari in 2025. The sport’s most successful driver will finally race for the most iconic name in the world of racing. However, Hamilton’s arrival could be a vote of no confidence on Ferrari prodigy Charles Leclerc.
Leclerc has been part of the Ferrari family for a long time. The Monegasque driver was given his F1 debut at Alfa Romeo Sauber in 2018 due to his place in the Italian team’s driver academy. Subsequently, Charles Leclerc was promoted to Maranello in 2019 alongside Sebastian Vettel.
The 26-year-old immediately impressed the team and outperformed the four-time world champion. Leclerc even received the longest contract in Ferrari’s history. However, it seems that the ‘Golden Boy’ of Maranello could get sidelined by Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari could shift focus completely on Lewis Hamilton
Recently, former Ferrari team boss Mattia Binotto hit out at the Scuderia for signing Lewis Hamilton. Binotto highlighted that the team should’ve stuck to its plan of winning with Charles Leclerc. This indicates that there has been a possible switch in the team’s plans under Fred Vasseur.
In the past three seasons, Leclerc has made mistakes. The Monegasque driver failed to put up a real challenge against Verstappen in 2022. However, it must be noted that Ferrari had its own share of problems. Perhaps, Vasseur had lost faith on solely relying on Charles Leclerc to bring glory back to Maranello.
On the other hand, it must be noted that no team could rule out Lewis Hamilton if the Briton is available on the market. The seven-time world champion not only brings immense commercial benefits but also crucial feedback. Fred Vasseur understands the importance of Hamilton and as such seized the opportunity to sign the Briton.
According to Vasseur, Leclerc was happy to have Hamilton as his teammate. However, it will be interesting to see how this relationship pans out next season. Ferrari is infamous for its politics and things could get heated quite quickly within Maranello. Though, it is clear that Lewis Hamilton is the one who is now in-charge of bringing Ferrari’s first world title in almost two decades.
Stay Updated!
Armaan Agarwal
(2363 Articles Published)