EXCLUSIVE: 2025 is 'make or break' for Leclerc not Hamilton, says F1 champ
EXCLUSIVE: 2025 is 'make or break' for Leclerc not Hamilton, says F1 champ
The pairing of Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari is a mouthwatering prospect for almost everyone involved in Formula 1.
Having the statistically most successful driver partnering with the most successful team will see history being written next year.
READ MORE: Former Ferrari star suggests team rethinking Hamilton Sainz switch
However, one person in the paddock will be looking for the Hamilton-Ferrari combination to fall below the high expectations.
According to one world champion driver, Charles Leclerc will be the driver under extreme pressure at the Scuderia rather than the incoming seven-time title holder.
READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Ferrari offered 10-year contract to champion driver
Charles Leclerc vs George Russell
Speaking exclusively to GPFans, 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve was asked whether Ferrari's 2025 driver line-up will be akin to Mercedes'.
After all, there are some similarities, with George Russell being the team's junior prospect before reaching the headline act as Leclerc was for Ferrari.
However, Villeneuve doesn't see the likeness, saying, "No, Russell was never brought into Mercedes as 'he's a champion, he's achieved it all.'
"No, he was brought into Mercedes as this young gun that still had to prove it.
"Charles was brought into Ferrari as a champion when he wasn't because he was brought in from Sauber saying, 'Well, he is a champion.'
"No, because he was beating someone in karting or whatever, that doesn't pan out."
READ MORE: Hamilton 'praying' for F1 rival following serious operation
Make or break
Despite having 23 pole positions and five wins, Villeneuve said, "He still has to prove it.
"He's shown a lot of speed, he's shown that he's super fast, but he's not the one who won the race for Ferrari last year.
"So it will be interesting to see how that balances out inside Ferrari.
"This will be make or break for Charles, not for Lewis."
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F1 Standings
Drivers
- Oliver Bearman
- Charles Leclerc
- Carlos Sainz
- Lando Norris
- Oscar Piastri
- Pierre Gasly
- Esteban Ocon
- Sergio Pérez
- Max Verstappen
- Alexander Albon
- Logan Sargeant
- Lewis Hamilton
- George Russell
- Nico Hülkenberg
- Kevin Magnussen
- Fernando Alonso
- Lance Stroll
- Valtteri Bottas
- Zhou Guanyu
- Daniel Ricciardo
- Yuki Tsunoda
Races
- Gulf Air Grand Prix of Bahrain 2024
- Saudi Arabian Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Australia 2024
- MSC Cruises Grand Prix of Japan 2024
- Grand Prix of China 2024
- Miami Grand Prix 2024
- Gran Premio dell'Emilia Romagna 2024
- Grand Prix of Monaco 2024
- Grand Prix du Canada 2024
- Gran Premio de España 2024
- Grand Prix of Austria 2024
- Grand Prix of Great Britain 2024
- Grand Prix of Hungary 2024
- Grand Prix of Belgium 2024
- Heineken Dutch Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Italy 2024
- Grand Prix of Azerbaijan 2024
- Grand Prix of Singapore 2024
- Grand Prix of the United States 2024
- Gran Premio de la Ciudad de Mexico 2024
- Grande Prêmio de São Paulo 2024
- Heineken Silver Las Vegas Grand Prix 2024
- Qatar Grand Prix 2024
- Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi 2024
About GPFans
GPFans is a multi-platform, multi-language brand dedicated to Formula One coverage. We bring you all the ins and outs of the sport, 24/7, everything from up-to-the-minute news and features to the latest viral stories and clips.We believe that a new generation of exciting, outspoken drivers will make F1 more popular than ever before, and we want to give our users access to as much of their heroes as possible, on and off the track. From Lewis Hamilton to Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo to Sebastian Vettel, we provide in-depth analysis of every every Grand Prix in the season, from Australia to Abu Dhabi.
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