Could Hamilton’s Mercedes ‘suffering’ bleed into his Ferrari…read more
According to former F1 driver Roberto Merhi, Charles Leclerc is more likely to challenge for the World Championship in 2025 than Lewis Hamilton, despite Hamilton’s highly anticipated move to Ferrari from Mercedes. While the pre-season buzz is largely focused on Hamilton, who has signed a multi-year deal with Ferrari, Merhi believes that Leclerc is better positioned to benefit from the team’s recent improvements.
Leclerc has been at Ferrari for several seasons and has played a key role in developing their F1 2025 SF-25. He is well-established in the team and has a clear advantage in terms of familiarity with the car and the environment. Ferrari’s progress in recent years is significant, and Merhi believes it will be Leclerc, rather than Hamilton, who will be in the best position to capitalize on the team’s gains and fight for the championship.
Merhi highlighted that Leclerc’s experience and leadership within Ferrari make him the natural choice to be the team’s title contender. The Ferrari car is designed with Leclerc in mind, and Merhi emphasized that the Scuderia’s car and culture are vastly different from the environment Hamilton experienced at Mercedes. While Hamilton’s skills and experience are undoubted, Merhi’s assessment suggests that Leclerc’s deeper connection to Ferrari may give him the edge.
The key point Merhi raises is the potential lingering effect of Hamilton’s struggles with Mercedes’ adaptation to the ground-effect aerodynamic cars introduced in recent seasons. Hamilton’s performances in recent years have been somewhat inconsistent, and Merhi speculates that these challenges might continue to affect him at Ferrari. While several pundits expect Hamilton to take time adjusting to the new team, Merhi wonders whether his issues with the new car concept might spill over into his performances in the red car.
Despite the focus on Hamilton, who many predict will be in a fierce title fight with Max Verstappen, Merhi’s view offers a fresh perspective. While others foresee a dramatic end to the season between Hamilton and Verstappen, Merhi suggests that Leclerc, with his deep-rooted connection to Ferrari, might ultimately be the one to battle Verstappen for the World Championship.
As the 2025 season unfolds, it remains to be seen whether Hamilton’s move to Ferrari will lead to success or whether Leclerc’s familiarity with the team and the car will give him the upper hand. Many eyes will be on the two Ferrari drivers as they take on the challenge of competing against Verstappen, the reigning champion, with Leclerc’s potential to emerge as a serious title contender growing stronger.
