Charles Leclerc is realising what George Russell had to put up with as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate

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Charles Leclerc’s match-up with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari was one of the most intriguing storylines heading into the 2025 F1 season. But as it turned out, no real rivalry developed between the two drivers.

One theory was that Leclerc may be slightly quicker than Hamilton in qualifying before the seven-time world champion pulled back the deficit in the race.

Leclerc ultimately won the Saturday head-to-head 19-5, but his margin was even bigger on a Sunday. Hamilton only finished ahead on three occasions, and it would have been two had he properly obeyed Ferrari’s team orders in Azerbaijan.

George Russell’s dominance over Hamilton in his final year at Mercedes foreshadowed the events of 2025. Russell also won the qualifying battle 19-5, though the races (13-7).

Charles Leclerc repeatedly has to explain why Lewis Hamilton is struggling

Hamilton performing poorly is a massive story given his unparalleled achievements in F1. No driver on the grid attracts so much interest or so much coverage.

One of the consequences for his teammates is that, when the Briton is off the pace, they are expected to offer an explanation. Speaking in November, Leclerc denied that Hamilton was ‘struggling to find his place’ at Ferrari.

Just a week later, Leclerc said Hamilton still needed time to adapt. After all, the 28-year-old has been with Ferrari since 2019, so everything feels ‘natural’.

Finish the sentence: In 2027, the Ferrari driver line-up will be…

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Ultimately, Leclerc is focused on himself, particularly when his teammate has rarely been a direct threat. He may not know why Hamilton is leaving lap time on the table – that’s really a question for his teammate and his engineers.

Ferrari’s PR department will welcome Leclerc’s consistent defence of Hamilton, especially as it’s an awkward topic for him to navigate.

George Russell was wrong about Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari move

Speaking in November 2024, Russell said Hamilton needed a ‘fresh start‘ after a difficult farewell to Mercedes. His confidence had reached an all-time low at the end of the year.

Hamilton initially appeared revitalised after joining Ferrari but that quickly petered out. By the mid-point of the season, he was calling himself ‘useless’.

Russell said Hamilton’s comments were ‘nonsense’ in light of his F1 record. Even though they’re no longer teammates, he is still fielding questions about his compatriot’s plight.

Leclerc may partly have enjoyed the shift in publicity towards the other side of the garage. But Hamilton’s podium drought has only increased the pressure on Ferrari as a whole – if that were possible – heading into 2026.