Valtteri Bottas warns Charles Leclerc about the one thing he’ll ‘learn’ as Lewis Hamilton’s teammate

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Charles Leclerc will do battle with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton next season. That’s after F1’s most successful driver decided to leave Mercedes and join Ferrari.

It promises to be one of the most exciting teammate match-ups the sport has seen. While Leclerc has only won five Grands Prix to date, fellow F1 driver Esteban Ocon believes he has even more natural talent than Hamilton.

And what’s more, the duo could find themselves scrapping for Ferrari’s first drivers’ title since 2007. As Leclerc pursues his maiden crown, Hamilton is looking for an unprecedented eighth.

Sebastian Vettel reckons it may be a ‘difficult’ dynamic for Ferrari to manage, having been Leclerc’s teammate himself in 2019 and 2020. Meanwhile, Mika Hakkinen has backed the Monegasque to cause Hamilton problems.

However, some have taken a different view. For instance, ex-F1 driver Robert Doornbos believes Hamilton will ‘eat’ Leclerc in a title fight because the latter is ‘too nice’.

Indeed, the 26-year-old may still need to develop a ruthless edge to become a champion. Leclerc has only converted four of his 23 career pole positions, the fifth-worst such record in F1 history, though he would say he’s simply exceeded the potential of his car in qualifying.

Valtteri Bottas says Charles Leclerc will discover just how fast Lewis Hamilton is

Speaking on the Nailing the Apex podcast, Hamilton’s former teammate Valtteri Bottas was asked if he could offer any advice to Leclerc ahead of the Briton’s arrival. Bottas spent five seasons alongside him from 2017 to 2021.

Hamilton won the title in four of those years, with the Finn limited to 10 race victories despite Mercedes’ dominance. He never got closer than 58 points in the final championship standings.

Bottas isn’t necessarily expecting tension between the two drivers given Hamilton’s ‘great contribution to the team’. But he’s warned Leclerc that he shouldn’t be under any illusions as to the challenge he faces.

“When he gets to know Lewis, I’m sure he will have lots of respect,” he said.

“He’s actually a really nice human being. He can be a really good team player. He gives a great contribution to the team.

“But he will also learn that Lewis is extremely fast and consistent. He rarely does mistakes.

“I don’t need to give any advice to Charles. He’s grown up a man and he’s got some experience already.

“He’s well-settled in the team, so I think they’ll be just fine as teammates. Lewis will give him a good ride no doubt.”

Could Valtteri Bottas return to Mercedes?

Hamilton’s departure does of course open up a seat at Mercedes. With world champion Max Verstappen potentially on the market ahead of 2026, Toto Wolff could look to a one-year stop-gap.

And that’s where Bottas may come in. The Silver Arrows know he’s a reliable driver who won’t cause trouble within a team.

It wouldn’t necessarily be the most exciting of signings given that Bottas has been battling it out in the lower midfield this season. But you can make the case for it being a sensible short-term move.

When asked about his chances of a return, the 34-year-old simply stated that ‘anything is possible’. He could potentially lose his drive at Sauber after the arrival of Nico Hulkenberg.