F1 News
Leclerc takes up challenge against Hamilton: 'Can prove myself in the same car'
Charles Leclerc sees Lewis Hamilton's impending arrival at Ferrari as a huge positive. The 27-year-old has explained why he is looking forward to the challenge of having a seven-time World Champion as his teammate.
It won't be the first time Leclerc teams up with a very successful driver. When Leclerc first arrived on the scene at Ferrari, he teamed up with four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Despite the German being in the team for a few years already, Leclerc beat him in the 2019 World Championship in his Ferrari debut season.
Why Leclerc is motivated by Hamilton's arrival at Ferrari
"He hasn't joined the team yet. For sure, it's going to be very special," Leclerc said on Pirelli's Box Box podcast. "We've always had a very special relationship with Carlos and we have worked extremely well together. But looking forward, Lewis is a seven-time world champion, the most successful driver in Formula 1 ever. So it's going to be a big challenge for me."
The man from Monaco has a positive view on the challenge, as he hopes to show the F1 world what he can do compared to the most successful driver. "I do look forward to it. On the one hand, I can learn from Lewis while driving the same car as him, but on the other hand, I can also prove what I can do in the same car as him. That's a big motivation for me," Leclerc concluded.
Ferrari is still fighting for the constructors' world title. McLaren leads the championship, and both F1 teams have overtaken Red Bull Racing. The Italian racing team is currently 42 points behind the team of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with three Grands Prix and one sprint race remaining on the schedule. Meanwhile, Hamilton has struggled with Mercedes since F1 returned from the summer break. In Brazil, his current teammate George Russell leapfrogged him in the World Championship.
This article has been created in collaboration with Nicole Mulder