Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton head into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix bringing their first campaign as Ferrari teammates to a close, a season that has unfolded in a far more one-sided manner than many anticipated. Over the course of the year, Charles Leclerc has delivered all seven of Ferrari’s podium finishes, a consistency that has allowed him to finish almost 80 points ahead of Lewis Hamilton. This deficit represents the largest points gap Hamilton has ever faced against a teammate in his Formula 1 career.
Hamilton has also struggled in qualifying, where Leclerc has dominated the head-to-head by an 18–5 margin. In race trim, Hamilton has crossed the line ahead of Leclerc on only three occasions, and one of those came after a late-race misunderstanding in which Hamilton attempted—unsuccessfully—to allow the Monegasque driver to retake position before the finish.
Because of this clear intra-team imbalance, a real sporting rivalry between the pair has not taken shape. Nevertheless, Leclerc’s admiration for Hamilton remains unmistakable.
Leclerc says Hamilton has made him more analytical and attentive
Speaking to L’Équipe, Leclerc explained that before Hamilton joined Ferrari, many of his decisions behind the wheel were dictated by instinct and what he described as gut feeling. After spending two seasons paired with Sebastian Vettel and four years partnered with Carlos Sainz, he found himself confronted with a completely different working approach once Hamilton arrived. Leclerc noted that he quickly became aware of Hamilton’s extremely diligent habits, particularly regarding tyre preparation and management, and said he had begun to rely much more heavily on detailed data as a result.
Leclerc emphasised that Hamilton’s arrival brought him motivation and what he described as substantial help on several fronts. He stressed that he had never viewed himself as operating in the shadow of the sport’s most successful driver, even if working alongside Hamilton highlighted significant areas in which he could still grow. According to Leclerc, he had learned an enormous amount by observing the way Hamilton reviews and prioritises data, especially in understanding which metrics matter most during tyre warm-up phases and qualifying preparation. He suggested that Hamilton’s precision and discipline in working within the optimal temperature window had prompted him to adjust his own approach and become far more attentive to numerical feedback rather than relying purely on instinct.
Leclerc reflected that Hamilton’s arrival meant there was “a lot to learn,” and he considered that comparison an important motivator. He described Hamilton as a major source of assistance throughout the season and reiterated that he never felt overshadowed by his illustrious teammate.
Is simulator usage behind the performance gap?
Hamilton has continued to receive encouragement and support from Mercedes—his former team—during what has become the most challenging year of his career. To elevate his performance, he needs Ferrari to make substantial progress under the incoming technical regulations and to implement his development feedback effectively. Only then, he believes, will he be able to put himself in a position to consistently challenge Leclerc.
However, former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher has suggested that one of the factors influencing the internal performance difference may be linked to simulator work. Schumacher has reportedly heard that Hamilton makes significantly less use of Ferrari’s simulator facilities compared to Leclerc. While Hamilton’s traditional, “old-school” working methods once served him exceptionally well in previous eras of Formula 1, they may now be limiting his ability to adapt quickly enough within a team that places heavy emphasis on simulation tools and data-driven preparation.
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