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Ralf Schumacher believes Charles Leclerc is not thrilled with how Lewis Hamilton has performed with Ferrari this season.
Leclerc’s P3 finish at Suzuka was a huge positive for Ferrari, even if it came at the cost of Lewis Hamilton being upset with Ferrari over his battery issues.
Earlier in the weekend, Leclerc demanded Ferrari show improvement. His demand was met during the race, allowing him to secure a podium finish.
Ralf Schumacher thinks Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are not ‘the best of friends’
Predict when the Ferrari drivers will crash with each other
There is concern that Leclerc and Hamilton might need Ferrari to intervene to avoid their relationship deteriorating as they compete with each other.
And this deterioration seems to be visible to Ralf Schumacher, who believes Charles Leclerc is facing consequences coming from Lewis Hamilton’s strong start to the season.
READ MORE: Charles Leclerc says George Russell’s Mercedes engineer was ‘being quite cheeky’ during Japanese GP
Ralf Schumacher says Charles Leclerc is not ‘entirely satisfied’ with Lewis Hamilton’s performances
Speaking on Backstage Boxengasse, Ralf Schumacher spoke about the impact Lewis Hamilton’s strong start to the 2026 season is having on Charles Leclerc.
Despite Leclerc’s easygoing demeanour, Schumacher believes Hamilton’s success has pushed Leclerc outside of his comfort zone, forcing him to find another level to his performances.
“This business is so competitive, and you can see it in their faces. I think everyone is happy. I was at a charity gala last week, and Charles was there too…
“You could tell Charles is a relaxed, easy-going guy. But I think he’s not entirely satisfied at the moment, because logically, from his perspective, the old man (Hamilton) is too close to him.
“And that’s something that takes a driver out of their comfort zone. He now has to, despite being faster, still find another gear.”
READ MORE: Charles Leclerc uses just one word to describe Ferrari, McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull
You’re Ferrari, what do you do – Hire Andrea Stella or keep Fred Vasseur?
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Ralf Schumacher believes Ferrari are benefitting from Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton rivalry
Speaking further during the podcast, Schumacher noted that Fred Vasseur and Ferrari have done enough to keep both drivers under control, but warns that the failure of either driver could spell disaster for their season.
“Fred Vasseur really had it under control. He brought in all those new people, and it seems to be working really well.
“But the big advantage this year is that they also have two drivers who can perform again, and above all, two drivers who are now more or less pulling in the same direction when it comes to development. We already said this last year.
“If this falls apart, it will be a huge issue. For now, it’s very harmonious. Lewis Hamilton is super happy and fast again. Charles Leclerc is also pushing a bit, which is also important…
Ahead of the Miami Grand Prix, Ferrari seemingly have an edge over Mercedes, with Vasseur hinting at a potential upgrade that can level the playing field between the two.
Ferrari are working on the Macarena wing during this season hiatus to ensure it is ready for Miami, and can address some of their key issues.
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