Charles Leclerc did not attempt to block Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, according to team principal Frederic Vasseur.
Charles Leclerc did not attempt to block Lewis Hamilton‘s move to Ferrari, according to team principal Frederic Vasseur.
Hamilton’s 2025 arrival signals the end of Carlos Sainz‘s time with the team and brings a potentially tougher challenge for Leclerc.
“I’ve always said that in my life there were two races I wanted to win – Monaco and Monza,” Leclerc said at the Trento Sports Festival this week.
“We managed to do it this year, but now my only goal is to win the world championship. I work only for this,” added the nearly 27-year-old.
Vasseur, who shares a close relationship with Leclerc, also has long-standing ties with seven-time world champion Hamilton. Reflecting on Leclerc’s journey, he commented, “Sometimes he (Leclerc) has made mistakes, but it is part of his growth process.”
Introducing the idea of bringing Hamilton, 39, on board as Leclerc’s next teammate came with some initial awkwardness. However, Leclerc responded positively to the prospect.
“Fred is not my girlfriend,” Leclerc joked, “but I knew about the negotiations with Lewis from very early and for me, having him will be an additional challenge, given everything he has won. I am very happy that Hamilton is coming, and I can’t wait because you can learn from every teammate.
“For me, it will be a great opportunity to show what I can do in the car. For sure, with Lewis, I will remove some doubts about certain things he can do.”
Vasseur confirmed Leclerc’s supportive stance toward Hamilton’s arrival. “Charles has always agreed on this (Hamilton’s arrival), and that led me to push hard for it to happen.
“But, strangely enough, it was not difficult to bring him to Maranello,” said Vasseur. “And when I understood that Charles has always been positive towards Hamilton, because he understood that it is an opportunity for him, I pushed even harder.”