Hamilton and Leclerc Reveal Hilarious Late-Night Chess Battles

Hamilton and Leclerc Reveal Hilarious Late-Night Chess Battles

Ferrari’s 2025 F1 teammates, Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, have revealed an unexpected but intense off-track rivalry — nightly online chess games played from the comfort of their respective beds in London and Monaco.

The duo first drew attention for their chess-playing antics during the F1 season launch event, where instead of watching the entertainment with the rest of the drivers, they were seen deeply engrossed in a game of chess on their phones. That moment was just the tip of the iceberg, as fans recently learned during a fan event at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Leclerc and Hamilton opened up about how chess has become a regular pastime for them — one they enjoy from their beds before sleeping, often turning into a competitive face-off that stretches beyond casual gameplay. It seems the Ferrari pairing has found a new way to fuel their competitive spirit even when they’re miles apart.

Leclerc shared the details of one of their recent battles. “We were both in bed — not the same bed,” he joked to the crowd, quickly clarifying that Hamilton was in London while he was in Monaco. “We were playing online, and the score was tied at 4-4. I didn’t want to sleep on a draw, so I pushed for one more game.”

Hamilton jumped in to provide more context. “At that point, I was flying to Japan. Somehow, I had internet on the plane, and I agreed to play one last match,” he said, emphasizing just how determined they both were to get the upper hand.

However, what started as a friendly game soon turned into a digital chess scandal.

Hamilton confessed, “The moves Charles was making were so strong. I started to wonder if I was out of my depth, so I looked up a chess site to get some help. It gave me suggestions for my next move, and I ended up using it — just for one move initially.”

But it didn’t stop there. With each of Leclerc’s responses being just as sharp, Hamilton admitted he continued relying on the website’s suggestions. “Then Charles suddenly asks, ‘Wait a second… are we both cheating?’”

It turned out they were. Leclerc had also begun using the same type of chess assistance tool to keep up. The entire room burst into laughter at the revelation, as both drivers admitted to unknowingly escalating their friendly match into a duel of chess engines.

Despite the cheeky cheating, the story only highlighted the strong bond forming between the new Ferrari teammates. While rivals on the track, the two share a competitive camaraderie that extends into their personal lives — even across continents and time zones.

Their late-night chess duels are just another example of how top-level athletes find ways to stay sharp and engaged, even off the circuit. And for Ferrari fans, it’s encouraging to see Hamilton and Leclerc developing a close and playful rapport ahead of what promises to be an exciting season.

Whether it’s racing at 300 km/h or trying to outwit each other on a digital chessboard, it’s clear that neither driver likes to lose — and that’s a good sign for Ferrari’s 2025 campaign.