For the Ferrari driver, the way the team has been built, how this year’s car was developed, and the ease with which Lewis Hamilton has integrated, all suggest that 2025 could be the year for Scuderia.
On Wednesday evening, the Monegasque seemed tired as he sat in front of the camera to answer questions. Despite his drawn features due to a short night (arriving from London just before four in the morning with a drive scheduled for nine), Charles Leclerc responded with a smile, as he had done the previous evening on the red carpet of the F1 event and as he had done previously when the TV stations also bombarded him with questions about this new car and this new teammate who is monopolizing attention. Yes, Lewis Hamilton will be racing alongside him this year, but for this old hand at Scuderia who is starting his seventh season as a principal, this is apparently not a problem. On the contrary…
“Will this year be the one?”
(smiles) It’s too early to answer, but if last year we managed to fight until the last race, there are reasons to be optimistic. If we didn’t make it in 2024, it’s because of a lot of details that need to be resolved before starting this campaign, such as being competitive throughout the year or starting the first races on the right foot, fighting at the front from the outset. As far as I’m concerned, even though I see a very contested Championship, I believe in my abilities and if I have the car, I’m capable of fighting for the crown.
After this first morning of driving, how do you feel about this 2025 car?
We are in February, it was cold and damp with tires that will not be the ones used in the Grand Prix. These were clearly not conditions to seek performance. But the first impressions are that nothing bad has been born. It’s hard to tell you more.
Are you surprised by the attention your team is attracting at the start of the year?
There has always been a lot around Ferrari, but it’s true that with the arrival of Lewis, it’s even bigger. This is understandable, we are talking about a legend of our sport.
Has Hamilton’s arrival changed your preparation approach?
I’ve always maintained the same approach, which is to strive for improvement every winter. Yes, Lewis’s arrival has stirred things up a bit and drawn more media attention than usual, but I’ve stuck to my routine. I’ve spent time in the simulator to start working on the car and kept up my usual physical training.
“I feel that the team is in a form that I’ve never seen before, the best I would say since my arrival in 2019.”
How does it feel to have a legend as a teammate?
I find it refreshing and interesting. I’m excited to see how Lewis Hamilton works. I’ve already started analyzing his interaction with the engineers, the things he focuses on. I want to learn as much as I can from him and I already feel that our driving styles are quite similar, which is good for the team.
“I am exactly where I need to be”: Lewis Hamilton in his element since joining Ferrari
Has the team atmosphere changed?
Lewis is joining the team at the best possible time. Fred (Vasseur, the team boss) has managed to calm the emotions that have always been present in the team. We’ve become stronger over the past few years. So, yes, Lewis’s arrival is a huge boost for all the guys at the factory, but I feel that everyone is still managing to stay calm and not be too affected by his arrival.
Do you think you can beat Lewis Hamilton?
Like every driver, I have complete confidence in my abilities, but this is the first time I’ll be driving the same car as a seven-time world champion. It’s a massive challenge, the biggest of my career, but it’s also a great motivation for me. And for the team as well… I feel that the team is in a form that I’ve never seen before, the best I would say since my arrival in 2019.
Will the 2025 Ferrari be a champion’s car?
Last year, we saw Lando Norris struggle a bit with the pressure when he had to fight for the title. Are you afraid of suffering from the same problem if you have a champion’s car?
I started experiencing this in 2022, even though it quickly subsided, but I feel ready. Only time will tell if I was right or wrong, but I feel that I am equipped to face such moments.”
