Sky F1 pundit claims Lewis Hamilton has done at Ferrari what Charles Leclerc failed to do

Former F1 world champion and now Sky pundit Jacques Villeneuve claims seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton has managed to get Ferrari onside in a way that Charles Leclerc never could.

Leclerc has been with Ferrari for seven full seasons, but has not yet had a serious title challenge, and has only claimed eight grand prix victories in that time.

His first season in 2019 brought two of those victories, in Belgium and at Monza, as Scuderia fans immediately fell in love with their young Monegasque star.

But now 28 and having just signed a new contract with the team, things aren't looking so rosy for the man who finished a distant second in the championship standings in 2022.

Leclerc is being outperformed by his seven-time champion team-mate Hamilton, currently sits 40 points behind him following Hamilton's stunning victory at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix.

Hamilton looks back to his best after a difficult few years, and is only 41 points off the championship lead currently held by Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.

Now, 1997 world champion Villeneuve has said that Hamilton has really managed to garner the support of his Ferrari team, as they look to put all their eggs into one basket chasing a first drivers' champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

F1 HEADLINES: Verstappen flies to Red Bull HQ as radical change proposed

Hamilton gets tifosi bouncing

"Lewis knows how to win, and he knows what it takes, and if he gets a sniff of it, there won't be any quarters, and I think that's where he can make the difference," Villeneuve told the Sky F1 Show. "And Mercedes, right now, is not in a position to be even able or allowed to choose a driver over another.

"Well, Ferrari is, because Ferrari has to focus on Lewis if they want a small chance of winning, so the decision is easy to make, because Leclerc is quite far, far back. Before Leclerc had time to build the team around him, and he didn't.

"Bear in mind how he came into Ferrari was after an average season at Sauber, and suddenly giving the huge mega contract, like a world champion contract, maybe too much too soon.

"So he's never really had to build anything around him. It was given, it was there, he was quick, and that was plenty, because the perception always, 'well, that's a car that cannot win a championship, anyway.' You win a few races, you beat your team-mate, which was Vettel. Everybody was happy.

"Then suddenly comes in Lewis last year, who's not having a great season. He's really having a hard time with the car. The team, it takes time to build this around yourself. So Leclerc is quite happy. He's looking good next to Lewis, but the minute Lewis woke up, the minute Lewis made that car and that team his own, and he's going for it, and doesn't leave any quarter. Looks like he's not prepared for that."

READ MORE: Verstappen jets in to the UK as Red Bull exit rumours swirl

READ MORE: Hamilton title boost with Ferrari poised to unleash new power unit