Charles Leclerc ignored Mercedes or Red Bull to duel Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz were told of Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari talks which were ongoing for 🐠"months"
168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Charles Leclerc reportedly chose to stay at Ferrari, knowing 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lewis Hamilton was coming, to directly take on his new t♉eammate.
Leclerc penned a multi-year contract to stay at Ferrari shortly before Hamilton a🌸nnounced that he would join the Italian manufacturer in 2025.
Hamilton’s talks with Ferrari “had been g🦄o⛄ing on under the radar for a few months”, report.
Leclerc - and his current teammate Carlos Sainz, who was꧑ also in talks to sign a new Ferrari deal - were ma♏de aware of the team’s negotiations with Hamilton, the report says.
President John Elꦯkann and team principal Fred Vasse꧂ur told their current drivers about the situation.
Leclerc could have turn🎶ed to Mercedes or Red Bull to claim their 2025 vacancies during this period, knowing H🔜amilton was incoming, but chose not to.
“One of the reasons was Hamil💞ton himself,” the Italಌian newspaper reports.
Leclerc has told “people close to him” that directly competing with Hamilton inܫ equal machinery is a✃ great motivation to stay at Ferrari.
He remembers his 2019 ♎Monza victory where he got the🐲 better of Hamilton.
Leclerc knows that outperforming H♚amilton next year as Ferrari drivers would dramatically increase his status and effectively make him the team leader.
Leclerc is also “convinced” th💟at Hamilton’s veteran knowledge can greatly improve development of the ‘25 Ferr🌺ari.
T🅠he Monegasque driver knows that the addition of Hamilton means Ferrari are investing heavily in winning the F1 championship.
Hamilton’s arrival could spark the addition of e🔜ngineers from rival teams, which Leclerc would benefit from.
ಌBut Leclerc has given himself a Plan B, t✤he report claims.
His new Ferrari contract includes a ❀get-out clause which he can invoke after the 2026 season, if he deems that Ferrari have not pro🔯duced a winning car after one season of the new regulations.
Leclerc could then turn to Mercedes or Red Bull.
And Max Ver🐬stappen “has not vetoed a possible arrival of Leclerc at Red ওBull”, the Italian media believe.
James🍷 was a sports journalist at Sky Sports for a decade covering everything from A♈merican sports, to football, to F1.
