Sir Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc will be teammates starting next year. They will both race for the iconic F1 team, Ferrari. Leclerc has been driving Scuderia Ferrari cars since 2019. Hence, the Monegasque racer has been a fan favorite for the most successful team in the sport for a while. The 26-year-old racer has a lot to prove. Fans expect him to win not just races but also championships. But at present, Ferrari does not have a car to help Leclerc beat the reigning triple-time champion, Max Verstappen. Clearly, it is the time for Red Bull and Verstappen to dominate the grid.
They really own the cost cap era. However, if Ferrari manages to build the right car to challenge Red Bull, will it be easy for Charles Leclerc to win a title? Moreover, next year, the most decorated racer in the history of the sport will be pairing up with Leclerc for the Italian team. And Lewis Hamilton, even at the age of 40, will be a strong contender for the title if he gets to drive the right car. Then, it will only make sense that, again, Hamilton will have an arch-rival in his team fighting for the title.
Lewis Hamilton And Charles Leclerc Can Turn Into New Arch-Rivals If Ferrari Becomes Title Contender
It is still a question that keeps the F1 fans awake at night as to why Hamilton decided to move to Ferrari. At present, neither Mercedes nor Ferrari looks anyway near to Red Bull’s pace. Then, what’s going on in Hamilton’s mind? He shocked the fans all over the world announcing that 2024 will be his last with Mercedes. Moreover, Lewis Hamilton looks to share a cordial relationship with Charles Leclerc, his future teammate. But it might change once they start driving for the same team and if they get a car to win the championship.
📰: Alain Prost has warned Ferrari that they may need to establish a clear number one driver between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton if they want to compete for the 2025 title effectively. Despite acknowledging that Ferrari may not publicly declare a number one driver “on… pic.twitter.com/zj93xCOVQ1
— F1 Naija (@f1_naija) March 7, 2024
Recently, in an interview with Tanish Chachra of The Sports Rush, Marc Priestley, the former mechanic of McLaren, mentioned it is likely that Hamilton and Leclerc will turn into arch-rivals if Ferrari is able to challenge Red Bull for the title. Moreover, the ex-McLaren mechanic mentioned that there is always tension between two teammates going for a championship. That’s the nature of the sport Formula One. Priestley remembers the 2007 days when Hamilton and Fernando Alonso were teammates. The Alonso-Hamilton McLaren rivalry is really one of the most famous in the sport.
How Can Ferrari Avoid Clash Between Teammates From Next Year?
Marc Priestley mentioned both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had had traits of being great teammates in the past. However, the former McLaren mechanic said their demeanor could change if the Italian team managed to build a competitive car. Moreover, Priestley said it would be a very difficult situation for Fred Vasseur and his team to handle if push comes to shove.
The former mechanic knows very well how internal rivalries can turn into crises. That’s why Priestley suggests there should be transparency toward both racers from the Scuderia Ferrari. If the Italian team can provide the same precise conditions for the two racers placing the best development path, Priestley feels Hamilton and Leclerc won’t have much to complain about.
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