Charles Leclerc reveals what has surprised him about Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

Vettel brought a wealth of experience to Ferrari when Leclerc joined, having already started 219 Grands Prix, including 139 with Red Bull. The German had also claimed four consecutive drivers’ championships from 2010 to 2013 before the Monegasque’s arrival.

Hamilton arrived at Ferrari with an extraordinary resume: 356 race starts, 105 wins, and seven world titles. He also holds the record for most pole positions in F1 history. But it wasn’t his speed that caught Leclerc off guard.

What really stood out to him was how well-organised everything around Hamilton seemed. Having seen what the Briton accomplished over nearly two decades in F1, Leclerc knew he’d be quick – it was everything else that drew his attention.

“I learned a lot from them,” Leclerc said to Sky Italia. “We’ve all been doing this sport since we were kids, and we’ve grown up in different ways, with our own strengths and weaknesses.

“As a driver, my job is to look across the garage and try to take on all [of] the qualities of the teammate I’m competing against.

“Seb was impressive in terms of his feel for the car and his attention to detail. In the first meetings at Ferrari, I arrived with little guidance at the start while he had a thousand points to contend with. And that also helped me grow a lot.”

“With Carlos, he was quite impressive even on weekends where he was struggling most, he managed to extract most points possible.

“And then there’s Lewis, the most successful driver of all time. There’s a lot to learn from him. I expected a lot from him, but it wasn’t his speed that surprised me. I mean, I already knew that. But it’s the organisation around him that’s very interesting.”

Lewis Hamilton poised to lead Ferrari charge

Hamilton stepped into what had long been Leclerc’s territory at Ferrari, with the Monegasque having been part of the Scuderia setup since joining their driver academy in 2016. But despite that, Hamilton has not shied away from the opportunity to potentially take on a leadership role, especially with new regulations coming in 2026.

The Briton, who claimed six drivers’ titles during his time at Mercedes – where the team also secured eight constructors’ championships – has already started pushing for changes.

He has given Ferrari staff detailed feedback, drawing on his Brackley experience, in a bid to end the team’s 17-year title drought.

There may also be lessons for Hamilton to pick up from Leclerc as he continues settling into his new surroundings. When Ferrari rolled out their rear suspension upgrade at Spa, it took Hamilton two days to get up to speed with it, while Leclerc seemed comfortable almost straight away.