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Juan Pablo Montoya believes Lewis Hamilton usurping Charles Leclerc at Ferrari with his performances could rattle the Monaco native.
Hamilton has looked rejuvenated at Ferrari, bouncing back to start the season after struggling to perform over the last few years.
His P3 finish at the Chinese Grand Prix ahead of his teammate was a sign that Ferrari are not favouring Leclerc over Hamilton.
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However, it is also clear that Ferrari face a delicate situation with Hamilton and Leclerc, as backing one driver over another could derail the momentum they’ve built up in the first two races.
It will be a tough decision for the team to make. But this battle could have grander consequences for Charles Leclerc, as losing his status as Ferrari’s priority to Lewis Hamilton could affect his psyche.
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Juan Pablo Montoya concerned for Charles Leclerc amid team battle with Lewis Hamilton
Juan Pablo Montoya was asked about the internal conflict within Ferrari during an interview with Racing News 365, and the Colombian former F1 driver gave an interesting response.
He noted that after a year of adapting, Lewis Hamilton has become far more comfortable in Ferrari, and if his results continue to be better than Charles Leclerc’s, it could raise his profile within the team and affect Leclerc’s mentality.
“Lewis is hungry and clearly feels more comfortable in the car. I feel like his entire workgroup is a lot stronger this year. He has more support around him, and that makes a world of difference at this level.”
“That extra support is going to pay off. If Lewis manages to structurally beat Charles, he will really sit in Leclerc’s head. That’s going to be very hard for Charles mentally.”
While Hamilton can’t read too much into his success over Leclerc, the seven-time world champion will be aiming to set himself up as Ferrari’s lead driver in the drivers’ standings this season.
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Charles Leclerc will be looking over his shoulder for Lewis Hamilton this season
While Leclerc initially praised his duel with Hamilton at Shanghai, the Monegasque driver will be somewhat concerned about his role within the team.
Hamilton will want to prove he is equal to Leclerc, if not better. This could create an internal battle within Ferrari where the two drivers end up costing themselves points while battling each other.
At the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc will be hoping to outperform Hamilton, thus reminding the veteran that he is still the lead driver on the team.
The hope within Ferrari will be that the competitive ambition of both their drivers will not adversely impact their performance as a team.
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