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Hamilton Has ‘Taken Over’ Ferrari from Leclerc, Says Jacques Villeneuve
Formula 1 legend Jacques Villeneuve has claimed that Lewis Hamilton has already asserted control over Ferrari, diminishing Charles Leclerc’s long-standing role as the team’s lead driver. Just three races into Hamilton’s career with the Scuderia, the 1997 world champion believes the British driver has successfully shifted the internal dynamics of the iconic team in his favour.
Speaking in a recent interview, Villeneuve outlined how Hamilton’s media presence and on-track performances have rapidly transformed Ferrari into his team, despite Leclerc having been their established figurehead since 2019. “It’s not a short-term one-year project,” Villeneuve stated. “So the first thing he has to do, which he’s already done – almost done – is take over the team. Make the team his. Take it away from Leclerc.”
Hamilton joined Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season after leaving Mercedes, where he had spent 11 seasons and won six world titles. His blockbuster move was one of the biggest stories in recent F1 history, and Villeneuve believes that hype has helped shift the spotlight almost entirely onto the seven-time world champion. “All winter the only talk was Lewis, Lewis and Ferrari,” he said. “That put a little bit Leclerc in the shadow.”
That shift in attention was further amplified by Hamilton’s performance during the Chinese Grand Prix weekend, where he took pole position and went on to win the Sprint race. Villeneuve pointed to those achievements as proof that Hamilton has already begun stamping his authority on Ferrari. “You got a pole, you got to win. The team is his,” he said. “When you’re Lewis Hamilton, it goes quick.”
Leclerc, who has been regarded as Ferrari’s golden boy since signing a long-term deal in 2020, has struggled to match Hamilton’s form and presence early in the 2025 campaign. While his race pace has been competitive, he has lacked the consistency and headline-grabbing results of his new teammate. That disparity, Villeneuve suggests, is already having an impact on the team’s internal balance.
Sky Sports F1 pundit Naomi Schiff echoed Villeneuve’s assessment, adding that Leclerc’s recent demeanour suggests growing frustration. “Charles has been their star boy for such a long time… The problem is they’ve brought in an even bigger star in the garage next to him,” she explained. Schiff suggested that Leclerc is now forced to contend with the reality of Hamilton’s stature and influence, something he had never experienced with a teammate before.
Hamilton’s early impact on Ferrari is not only being felt in results and headlines but also in how the team is responding to him behind the scenes. Reports suggest Hamilton’s feedback and technical insights have already begun to shape Ferrari’s development path, reinforcing his growing influence.
While it may be early in the season, Villeneuve’s remarks reflect a broader sentiment in the paddock—that Hamilton is not just a high-profile signing but a force reshaping the very culture and leadership hierarchy at Ferrari. For Leclerc, the challenge will be to reassert himself or risk being permanently eclipsed by one of the greatest drivers in F1 history.
As the 2025 season progresses, all eyes will be on how this high-voltage partnership evolves—and whether Leclerc can push back against Hamilton’s rapid takeover of the Prancing Horse.
