Charles Leclerc: “Having Lewis Hamilton up front allows us to constantly attack Mercedes”. Charles Leclerc praises Lewis Hamilton after their Ferrari battle during the Chinese GP.

A revived Hamilton

During the Sprint race and the Formula 1 Chinese Grand Prix, Ferrari fans witnessed an intense and extended battle between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque driver came out on top on Saturday, finishing in second place in the Sprint, while the British driver had the upper hand on Sunday, securing third place in the Grand Prix.

Overall, based on what has been seen between Melbourne and Shanghai, Lewis Hamilton appears to have taken a clear step forward compared to the 2025 season, at least in terms of being able to fight closely with his Ferrari teammate throughout the race weekend.

Leclerc’s praise for Hamilton

At the end of the Chinese Grand Prix, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton commented on their on-track duel with words that reflected strong fair play, each praising the quality and cleanliness of the battle they delivered on track.

Speaking to Canal+, Charles Leclerc also analysed Lewis Hamilton’s progress during this early phase of the 2026 Formula 1 season: “Lewis was already very fast last year, but the cars were different. Having both cars up there at the front is fantastic. Especially with these new regulations, you can actually do something when you are fighting with the drivers ahead. Having both me and Lewis with the opportunity to constantly attack the Mercedes is a positive thing.”