In 2025, Ferrari made the decision to pair Lewis Hamilton with Charles Leclerc.
This will test the Monegasque driver’s real pace on the grid and puts pressure on him. Leclerc is now third in the standings and still needs to establish himself on the racetrack in order to fulfill his dream of becoming a Ferrari world champion.
The five-time Grand Prix winner’s accomplishments are insignificant in light of Max Verstappen’s 58 race victories and Lewis Hamilton’s 103. Leclerc will also have to do more effort because Lewis Hamilton will now be riding alongside him in the same vehicle. Even though Leclerc has a challenging season ahead of him, former Formula One driver Robert Doornbos thinks the seven-time world champion will “eat up” Leclerc.
Leclerc is concentrating on beating just two drivers on the grid. While it is unlikely, he would like to surpass Lewis Hamilton’s score and surpass his good buddy and opponent Max Verstappen to win the title. Doornbos believes that although if he is one of the best drivers on the circuit, he still lacks the necessary skills to win a world championship.
According to Sport1.de, the former driver spoke about Leclerc’s position on the grid with Ziggo Sport the Dutch TV channel saying, “Charles Leclerc is too nice to become Formula 1 world champion. What Hamilton or Verstappen can do, Leclerc can’t do.”
By saying this, Doornbos implied that in order to succeed to the same extent as the two world champions described earlier, he could not be as merciless. Hamilton’s move to Ferrari presents Leclerc with a whole new set of challenges.
Will Charles Leclerc emerge triumphant or bitter loser?
Max Verstappen is recognized for being more smooth, whereas Lewis Hamilton is known for being more aggressive when driving. Both world champions have quite different driving styles. Although the Ferrari driver is quite fast on the track, he does not take many risks. After Lewis Hamilton moves to Ferrari and finds a vehicle in which he feels at ease, there’s a good probability that he will start placing third again.
Things will change once Hamilton has a quality vehicle. It will be a race for more than just the world title against Max Verstappen. “Let’s assume that Ferrari builds the best car for the coming GP season,” Doornbos said in reference to Ferrari developing a car to rival Red Bull. Then Hamilton is going to devour him.
Lewis Hamilton hasn’t been on track lately, but if he can get a decent car under his belt, he might very well resume his world championship career. Given that Ferrari has thrown everything at him, including a seven-time world champion, it is likely that Leclerc will be sidelined once more. Having said that, even if Leclerc’s rival is one of the most renowned drivers in Formula One history, he will need to consistently demonstrate to Ferrari that he is more than just a backup driver.
