Michael Schumacher’s brother explains why Charles Leclerc has an edge over Lewis Hamilton when they go head-to-head at Ferrari next year

F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain - Previews
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc in the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain (Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

Former F1 Grand Prix winner Ralf Schumacher recently shared his insights on the dynamics of Ferrari's star-studded lineup of Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, with the latter joining the Scuderia in 2025.

The excitement surrounding the 2025 F1 season is immense, with Hamilton set to don the iconic red color of Ferrari. The seven-time world champion will team up with Leclerc, creating one of the most formidable driver lineups on the grid.

Ralf Schumacher, younger brother of F1 legend Michael Schumacher, shared his perspective on the Briton's role at Ferrari. Given Leclerc's extensive experience with the Maranello-based team over the past eight years, he suggests Hamilton will have to vie for the number-one status.

“When Hamilton is at Ferrari he will try to be the team’s number one, but I think he will have to fight for it because Leclerc has been there for a long time,” he told Sky Germany.

Schumacher believes the characteristics of Ferrari's 2025 challenger will play an important role in which of the two drivers will have the upper hand. He elaborated that a stable car would benefit Lewis Hamilton, while an unstable car would tip the balance towards Charles Leclerc.

“The most important thing is what the drivers want. Lewis needs a stable car, while Charles can drive an unstable car. It remains to be seen who will prevail,” he added.

The future driver lineup at Ferrari is indeed intriguing, featuring a seven-time world champion in Lewis Hamilton, and a driver with the potential to win world championships in Charles Leclerc. However, this collaboration of the veteran and the young ace could also create a power struggle.

It remains to be seen whether Hamilton will bring championship glory to the Scuderia, or if Leclerc will accomplish his lifelong goal of winning the title for Ferrari.


Martin Brundle weighs in on Charles Leclerc-Lewis Hamilton Ferrari pairing

Following Lewis Hamilton's seismic move to join Ferrari for 2025 and beyond, Former F1 driver and Sky Sports pundit Martin Brundle has weighed in on how the dynamics between the new pairing will unfold.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc

Brundle called Leclerc 'blindingly fast' and expects the Monegasque to have the upper hand on outright qualifying speed.

“Leclerc I think is potentially, on an outright qualifying lap, the fastest driver out there at the moment, even including Max Verstappen,” Brundle told Sky Sports News.

Brundle did not dismiss Hamilton, as he believes the veteran's experience will help him adapt to the new team and enabling to fight for race wins right from the start.

“But never write off Lewis Hamilton. We know, he knows how to win races and championships and it’ll be very Schumacher-esque if he can go there and really drive the team to start winning a lot more races and be championship contenders,” he added.

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