Former F1 driver claims Lewis Hamilton will face the “biggest challenges” in Charles Leclerc at Ferrari

A monumental twist unfolded in Formula One history when Lewis Hamilton executed an unpredictable move, transitioning from the Mercedes to the Scuderia Ferrari team, leaving fans in disbelief.

Yet, with this change in allegiance comes a fresh set of challenges. According to F1 experts, achieving effortless collaboration might pose difficulties for the British driver in the new environment.

David Coulthard talks on Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc’s future partnership

Last week, a sudden declaration came from the F1 Ferrari team that, in the following 2025 season, Lewis Hamilton will be joining the Italian-based squad by parting ways with Mercedes. The seven-time World Champion will be replacing the Spanish driver, Carlos Sainz, who will complete three years of driving for Ferrari at the end of this season.

With a completely new change in the team, the British driver will have Charles Leclerc as his new teammate. The duo recently had a really strong bond with each other, following the same fate in the 2023 season. Both of them shared similar disqualifications and had the same pattern of interest in the entertainment industry beyond Formula One, which has strengthened their relationship more.

However, the famous figure of Formula One, David Coulthard, claims that despite Hamilton being one of the strongest contenders in the industry, he will face significant difficulties in surpassing Leclerc as a teammate in the long run.

On his Formula for Success podcast, he predicted, “I think he will find one of his biggest challenges in Charles Leclerc.

“Charles is a young and brilliantly fast race driver. No, he doesn’t have the World Championships and the experience of Lewis, but I think he is a champion in waiting.”

“So, that may well be where Lewis finds his greatest challenge.”

Charles Leclerc’s dominance with Ferrari

Charles’s connection with Ferrari can be traced back a long time, as he has been a part of the Ferrari family for eight years now. He first started driving for the Scuderia in 2019 and became the youngest driver in the Scuderia’s history to win a Grand Prix on the  Spa-Francorchamps circuit in the same year. One week later, the Spaniard secured a second victory in Monza, proving his driving capabilities on the track at such a young age.

In 2022, he clinched an additional three Grand Prix victories and secured second place in the Drivers’ Sandings. Throughout his time with Scuderia, the 26-year-old has participated in 103 races, achieved 30 podium finishes, set seven fastest lap records, and gained a total of 1035 points.

Do you think Hamilton will be able to surpass Leclerc in the 2025 season? Tell us in the comment section below.