[ad_1]
Lewis Hamilton is about to face Charles Leclerc in probably the most anticipated teammate matchups in latest Method 1 historical past. The Monegasque driver has been conscious since winter that he could be becoming a member of forces with the seven-time Method 1 world champion in 2025.
Lewis Hamilton has already gone head-to-head with a number of iconic drivers all through his profession, resembling Fernando Alonso, Jenson Button, and Nico Rosberg. Nonetheless, some argue that Leclerc’s uncooked pace would possibly outshine all of them.
With 26 pole positions to his title, Leclerc trails Rosberg by simply 4, regardless of by no means having fun with the benefit of a dominant automobile just like the one Rosberg had at Mercedes for 3 seasons. Esteban Ocon has remarked that, aside from Max Verstappen, nobody rivals Charles Leclerc’s pure expertise.
Charles Leclerc’s blistering tempo in qualifying might current a problem for Lewis Hamilton, who struggled in one-lap efficiency all through 2024, shedding the qualifying battle to George Russell with seven races nonetheless remaining. Whereas Hamilton has had bother getting his tyres as much as temperature, some argue that this problem doesn’t essentially mirror a lack of outright pace. However, Charles Leclerc’s means to handle his tyres in qualifying has turn out to be certainly one of his defining strengths.
Nonetheless, Charles Leclerc’s critics typically level to his perceived lack of ruthlessness, a trait Lewis Hamilton—now a seasoned veteran with over 350 races—might exploit. One pundit even prompt that Charles Leclerc is “too good” to resist the fierce competitors that awaits between the 2 drivers.
Rob Smedley, who served as Felipe Massa’s race engineer at Ferrari through the intense Hamilton-Massa rivalry of the late 2000s, weighed in on the potential Lewis Hamilton – Charles Leclerc dynamic.
The British driver burst onto the scene in 2007 with McLaren, instantly competing for the title and narrowly lacking out to Kimi Raikkonen. The next yr, he famously snatched the championship from Massa in a dramatic last lap within the Brazilian Grand Prix on the Interlagos circuit.
Discussing the upcoming problem on the “Method For Success” podcast, Rob Smedley acknowledged that whereas Lewis Hamilton received’t underestimate Charles Leclerc, the 105-time Grand Prix winner remains to be mentally and bodily able to prevailing over his new teammate. Although Lewis Hamilton’s peak would possibly finally decline, Rob Smedley believes he stays in a powerful sufficient place to beat Charles Leclerc and safe an unprecedented eighth world championship.
The previous Ferrari engineer defined: “I feel that Lewis is a real skilled. I feel he is aware of how good Charles is. However he may even again himself to beat him over 24 races.” – he identified.
When questioned by Eddie Jordan if he would d accomplish that, Rob Smedley continued: “I feel he’ll. I feel he’ll. I feel there’ll come a degree when he received’t have the ability to try this anymore. But it surely’s definitely not now. I imply the man’s so match. He’s so mentally robust.”
In simply six races, Lewis Hamilton will half methods with the Brackley-based Mercedes workforce, marking the tip of an period. Having claimed 84 victories with the workforce over the previous 11 years, his farewell within the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on the Yas Marina Circuit is bound to be an emotional one.
On the similar time, Lewis Hamilton’s consideration is steadily turning towards his subsequent chapter with Scuderia Ferrari. The British driver is reportedly already studying Italian, following a path just like Michael Schumacher’s when he made his legendary transfer to Maranello and cemented his place within the sport’s historical past.
Purchase official Ferrari F1 merchandise!
Let different Scuderia Followers learn about us
[ad_2]
Source link
