Charles Leclerc: “Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari shows Fred Vasseur’s vision”. Charles Leclerc wanted to praise Fred Vasseur convincing Lewis Hamilton to join Ferrari.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton

When Charles Leclerc announced his multi-year renewal with Scuderia Ferrari last January 25th, no one could have imagined that a week later Lewis Hamilton would be announced as his next Maranello teammate starting from the 2025 Formula One season.

For Charles Leclerc, it will be a real challenge to face off against a seven-time Formula One world champion, but also the best possible testament to Ferrari’s desire to return to winning the world title as soon as possible.

The Surprise

“Honestly, I never thought Lewis Hamilton could come,” Charles Leclerc explained to journalists in the Sakhir paddock, adding: “Obviously, I knew what was happening before you did, but when I was told he would sign, I was speechless. For me, it was a real surprise.” – he pointed out.

Praise for Fred Vasseur

The bond between Frederic Vasseur and Charles Leclerc, formed in the years before their common tenure at Ferrari, is no secret. The Monegasque wanted to praise his team principal for convincing Lewis Hamilton to join the Italian side:

“This shows the vision of our boss Fred Vasseur, his plans for Ferrari. We want to bring the Scuderia to the world championship title. And since I believe in Ferrari, I signed a multi-year contract.” And he concluded: “I’m really impressed by how the work with Fred is going. He learned the basics much faster than expected because Ferrari is a big team and operates differently from a normal team. He understood how to get the best from his employees and the positions that needed to be strengthened: these are all aspects that have proven to be fundamental for signing the contract. Though, for me, Ferrari is a matter of the heart.” – Charles Leclerc concluded.