Lewis Hamilton joked that he and teammate Charles Leclerc are “certainly going to find some trouble” together while being teammates at Ferrari.
He has disclosed that the duo has developed a constructive working relationship in preparation for the F1 2025 season, with “no issues” arising between them thus far.
Hamilton is getting ready for his inaugural season as a Ferrari driver, having moved to the Italian team from Mercedes on a long-term agreement.
The shift brings together the most accomplished driver in F1 history, who has 105 race victories and seven World Championships, with the sport’s top team.
This signifies just the second team change in Hamilton’s distinguished career, with his only prior transfer happening in 2013 when he moved from McLaren to Mercedes.
Hamilton’s transition to Ferrari has him partnering with Leclerc, considered the quickest driver on the current grid, who is beginning his seventh full season with the Scuderia.
It has been proposed that Fred Vasseur, the chief of the Ferrari team, may face challenges in overseeing his talented driver roster if Hamilton and Leclerc are in contention for the World Championship in F1 2025.
Earlier this month, reports from Italy indicated that Ferrari is ready to enforce team orders on Leclerc and Hamilton after only a few races of the new season if one driver gains a significant lead.
After the launch of the SF-25, Hamilton disclosed that he has built a strong connection with Leclerc, as they both share interests in music and fashion.
He jokingly remarked that the Ferrari drivers will “surely find themselves in some trouble” during their period together at Maranello.
He stated: “It’s smooth. Collaborating with Charles has been entirely smooth.
“Clearly, I was aware that I was joining here, but even prior to the announcement, Charles and I would frequently converse during race weekends, and I believe there has consistently been a shared, mutual respect between us as well.”
I believe we both recognized quite early that there were a few things we both enjoyed. He enjoys playing the piano and definitely plays better than I do, but we share a passion for music and have an interest in fashion.
“Besides the racing area, we have various topics we can talk about, and our interactions have been going extremely well.”
“Last year, we shared a few evenings together at various races and had some great laughs, so I’m certain we’re going to have some fun and get into a bit of trouble during our time here.”
“However, even now, simply collaborating on set has been a delight.”
“I’m certain that this year, we’re definitely going to motivate each other and move ahead together as teammates to aim for advancing this team.”
Leclerc stated: “We have a great rapport with each other. We have already invested a considerable amount of time together in Maranello.
I believe the term ‘surprise’ is inappropriate, since every time the most successful driver in F1 history joins a team, you can’t be caught off guard by him.
“I anticipated that Lewis would excel in many areas, which would explain all the success he has achieved in his career, and clearly, there are numerous lessons for me to learn from him.”
“It’s quite a fascinating moment, as it’s clearly the first time I witness how he operates behind the scenes, and it’s extremely intriguing for me.”
“I’m eager to learn everything I can, and I look forward to racing with him for Ferrari soon, hoping we’ll secure the title together.”
