David Coulthard fears Lewis Hamilton will face the “biggest challenge” against Charles Leclerc when he arrives at Ferrari ahead of the 2025 F1 season.
Hamilton shocked the F1 world last week by announcing he would leave Mercedes at the end of 2024 after winning six of his seven world championships with the Silver Arrows.
The British driver, who will celebrate his 40th birthday when he arrives in Maranello, will be partnered by Leclerc, widely regarded as today's fastest driver in a single lap.
Charles Leclerc: Too hot for Lewis Hamilton?
Coulthard admitted he was shocked by the breakup between Hamilton and Mercedes, who have powered all 332 Grand Prix starts with Mercedes engines since Hamilton joined McLaren's grid in 2007.
And he believes Leclerc, a protégé of Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, will put up a solid fight against Hamilton next year.
Speaking on the podcast Formula For Success, he said:
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“It helps us understand the market and we always get a little bit of intelligence in terms of what they're bringing to the stream with their engines, so it's all part of gathering that intelligence.”
“I never imagined that he would effectively destroy, even on good terms, the winning relationship he has had with Mercedes since he was 12 years old.
“Having said that, I think it's very exciting for F1. I think this will be a big boost for Ferrari.” [in] The engineers and people really understand that they're getting an incredible driver.
“But I have to say, he's going to find one of the biggest challenges in Charles Leclerc.
“Charles is a young, nice, fast race driver. Yes, he doesn't have any world championship experience or experience like Lewis, but I think he's waiting for a champion, so that's Lewis' biggest challenge. This may be the place to face it.
“I think Charles is one of the fastest single-lap drivers.”
Coulthard likened the potential dynamic between Hamilton and Leclerc to that between Mika Hakkinen and Michael Schumacher, who fought for the world championship at the end of the century, with Hakkinen given his obvious speed and Schumacher his stability. was known for.
“I think Mika Hakkinen is one of the fastest in one lap, and I think he's faster than Michael in one lap.” They've never been in the same car together, so that's a testament to that. You can't.
“What was special about Michael was that [is that]whatever the qualifying lap was, he could do it 60 times.
“Everyone will have their own opinion, but I think Charles is a great qualifier.
“I think Lewis is a great racing driver, but I don't think he's getting faster in one lap at 40 years old. Charles will be in his prime by then.”
Hamilton's decision to leave Mercedes comes just months after he signed a new two-year extension with the team, with Coulthard insisting there is no place for loyalty in such high-stakes contract negotiations. are doing.
Asked whether Mercedes manager Toto Wolff could have taken his eye off the ball and detected Hamilton's intention to leave, he said: I think TOTO is a great operator.
“If you look at his development through motorsport, through his association with HWA in the German Touring Car Championship, then Williams and then Mercedes, I think his eyes are on a lot of balls.
“But even if you are a great manager, and in his case an owner and team principal, if someone wants to leave, you can't stop them.
“They created a loophole by doing 1-plus-1.” [deal]. Once Lewis feels secure that Ferrari is offering him something magical for the future, he can pull the trigger to let go or not take the option to continue. I think I was able to do it.
“This is his retirement plan. He will end his career at Ferrari. So this is about legacy and trying to win a world championship with them.
“He can do it. [win] If Mercedes offers him a race car, he will win his eighth championship with Mercedes this year. Then he could go to Ferrari as an eight-time champion and try to increase it even more with them.
“[In] F1 – and I’m sure it is [the same in] Other sports – you sign these marriage papers, contracts, and it's a beautiful thing.
“But the same day you sign the marriage papers, the divorce papers will be ready too, because you're not going to spend the rest of your life with your team. That's the reality.
“You might spend eight, nine, 10 years with the team, or in Lewis' case longer with Mercedes, but it's always been a case of: If it doesn't suit him… Tara” [he would leave].
“Or you have to say it the other way around. If Mercedes felt he wasn't performing for some reason, do you think they would keep him there because of his name?” Not a chance.
“The stopwatch doesn't lie. You need pace.”
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