Charles Leclerc has won eight races with Ferrari: Belgium, Italy, Bahrain, Australia, Austria, Monza again, and the United States. These victories are spread over six years at the Maranello team, which is a clearly low tally considering his talent and the number of races he has contested. The Monegasque driver could undoubtedly have achieved much more if the Prancing Horse had provided him with more competitive cars during these years. When it comes to pole positions, the number rises: we are talking about 26 starts from the front. A figure that highlights his exceptional skill in single-lap performance and understanding of the car. Ten fastest laps, forty-three podiums, two hat tricks, and one grand slam.
The total points accumulated, including his debut Formula 1 season with Alfa Romeo, amount to 1,430. Now, as the Ferrari driver prepares for his eighth season, expectations are very high, especially considering the fact that the 2024 Formula 1 campaign is the last under the current rules and regulations. Then, another revolution will arrive, maybe the biggest the top tier of motorsport has ever seen. Given that we do not know how the balance of power will shift, as the FIA has introduced truly radical changes, 2025 remains a prime target that the Maranello team is heavily focused on.
In the meantime Carlos Sainz has left the Italian side and Lewis Hamilton has arrived. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion lands in Italy at the age of 40. Many believe he is no longer the phenomenon he once was. After all, age takes its toll on everyone. However, he does not see it that way at all. On the contrary, just like Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, he is absolutely convinced he can still make a huge difference. That is precisely why he has taken on this challenge. The Brit has stepped out of his comfort zone, leaving Mercedes behind to embark on a new adventure—the final chapter of his extraordinary career.
The British driver has the chance to make history. By joining Ferrari, he aims to bring the Maranello team back to the top of the world. And if he succeeds, it would be truly spectacular. Imagining such a scenario means acknowledging that Lewis Hamilton would instantly become the greatest living sports legend. All very exciting—except for one small detail: his teammate.
Recently, Italian journalist and Ferrari insider Leo Turrini, who is a well-known friend of the Monegasque driver, shared some interesting insights in his well-respected columns, recalling a remark Charles Leclerc made in 2019 before the Australian Grand Prix. Ferrari had asked him to take it easy: it was, after all, his debut for the most prestigious team, alongside a four-time Formula 1 world champion like Sebastian Vettel. His response? “I’ll crush him.” And in fact, although he finished behind the German on that occasion, he was quicker, and only a team radio instructing him not to attack determined the outcome. The rest is history because, as the Italian journalist pointed out, it was Charles Leclerc who initiated Sebastian Vettel’s retirement.
Now, looking at the present, who could possibly think the Monegasque does not intend to do the same with Lewis Hamilton?
The teammate, in Formula 1, has always been the first rival. And when two drivers race for the same team, with the same car and the chance to win, the competition naturally intensifies. How would Charles Leclerc feel if Ferrari returned to winning a championship, but it was the Britih driver who achieved it? To clear up any doubts, as Leo Turrini points out, the prodigal son’s intentions are already set: to give his best and prove that he can defat Lewis Hamilton as well. And the Brit knows this very well. He’s no fool. That’s why his attention to detail is at its peak.
We have seen him taking notes during his appearances with the Italian side, something never seen at Mercedes. He is pushing himself to the limit because, in all likelihood, after Fernando Alonso, he will be facing the strongest teammate he has ever had to share a garage with. The two are friends, or at least their relationship seems excellent at this stage. And hopefully for Ferrari, it stays that way and will also result in the Maranello team winning the Constructors’ championship after almost two decades. But the motivation Charles Leclerc will have this year can only be described as immense. Consistently outpacing the most successful driver in history would give him even greater confidence in his abilities.
Charles Leclerc’ dual objective is precisely this: to beat Lewis Hamilton and win the 2025 Formula 1 championship. It would be the pinnacle of his motorsport career, with a double satisfaction—reaching the top of the world with Ferrari, as he has always dreamed, while also relishing the absolute gratification of doing so by defeating Lewis Hamilton. The proverbial cherry on top. Too bad the Brit will have no intention of agreeing. And if the SF-25 proves to be a title contender, the battle ahead on track could be absolutely epic. The first real indication of this comes in about a month, when the new cars hit the track at the Albert Park circuit in Australia.
— see video above —
Leave a Reply