F1 News: Does Leclerc prove Hamilton was overrated all along?
Lewis Hamilton (pictured) benefitted from the 50+ hp advantage the Mercedes F1 team gave him for many years. Coupled with weak teammates, it masked the fact that Hamilton may have been overrated all along. Now he is up against Ferrari teammate Charles Lelcerc and getting his clock cleaned.
(GMM) Questions are growing around Lewis Hamilton’s future at Ferrari, as the seven-time world champion continues to trail Charles Leclerc and struggle with adaptation midway through his first season in red.
At Spa, Leclerc impressed in all conditions with the team’s new rear suspension, while Hamilton slipped further off the pace – prompting suggestions that Ferrari is now developing more in line with Leclerc’s feedback.
“Compared to Hamilton, Leclerc had a perfect weekend with the new car,” said Ralf Schumacher on Sky Deutschland. “He was strong in all conditions, and that’s a good trend for him and the team.
“But that does not make it easier for Lewis, because now the team will naturally listen to Charles even more.”
Schumacher added that Hamilton, now 40, appears increasingly sensitive to change. “Lewis simply finds it more difficult to make changes. Perhaps this new rear unintentionally suits Leclerc’s driving style better.”
Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this season after a long spell at Mercedes, has shown flashes of promise – notably in China – but has mostly lagged behind. Schumacher, while sympathetic, cast doubt on the long-term outlook.
“It’s a bit sad to watch,” he said. “If the season ends like this, I don’t know if this partnership makes sense in the long term.”
Former Jaguar and Jordan technical boss Gary Anderson believes Hamilton may also be reckoning with just how strong Leclerc is after years as Ferrari’s central figure.
“Hamilton may also be discovering just how good Leclerc is,” Anderson told The Telegraph. “His teammate has been at Maranello since 2019 and is their great hope.”
Team boss Frederic Vasseur, however, defended the balance in the team: “Charles and Lewis are both in good shape, and the team is also performing well.”
And Hamilton’s influence remains intact in some areas. Italian engineer Luca Diella has joined Ferrari as his new performance engineer, rekindling a technical partnership that spanned 2019 to 2024 at Mercedes.
Pedro de la Rosa, who has worked closely with both Hamilton and Fernando Alonso, dismissed talk of age being the issue.
“There’s no sign that either of them wants, can, or should retire,” he said on El Larguero (Cadena SER). “If you take care of yourself, you can extend your career for many years.”
