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Jean Todt Predicts Hamilton’s Ferrari Move Will Push Leclerc to New Heights
Former FIA president Jean Todt believes Charles Leclerc will rise to the challenge of partnering with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025, much like George Russell did at Mercedes.
Hamilton’s move to the iconic Italian team marks a major shift in the Formula 1 landscape, following a challenging period at Mercedes. The seven-time world champion had a difficult final season with the Silver Arrows, where he often struggled to match the pace of his younger teammate, Russell. Now, as he begins his Ferrari journey, the battle for supremacy within the team will be crucial—just as it always is between teammates in F1.
Leclerc, who has been Ferrari’s lead driver since joining in 2019, will now have to go head-to-head with one of the most successful drivers in the sport’s history. Todt, however, sees this as a golden opportunity for the Monegasque driver rather than a setback.
“I don’t think Hamilton will affect Leclerc negatively,” Todt told La Repubblica. “For Charles, this could serve as extra motivation, just like how George Russell was motivated when he partnered with Hamilton at Mercedes.”
Russell’s tenure alongside Hamilton saw the British youngster establish himself as a formidable competitor, even outscoring his more experienced teammate in their first season together. Todt expects a similar dynamic at Ferrari, with Leclerc using Hamilton’s presence as a benchmark to elevate his own performance.
Ferrari Close to Championship Glory
Ferrari heads into the 2025 season with high hopes of securing their first championship since 2008. Last season, the team was in strong contention for the Constructors’ Championship, ultimately finishing as runners-up to McLaren. Despite missing out on the title, the Italian squad demonstrated that they have the performance to compete at the sharp end of the grid.
Todt, who played a key role in Ferrari’s dominant era with Michael Schumacher in the early 2000s, believes the team is not far from reclaiming championship glory.
“What is Ferrari missing to win? Very little. In the past, they have come close,” he said.
The former Ferrari boss also defended the team’s previous driver lineup of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, suggesting that their 2024 campaign was not lost due to driver performance.
“Even with Leclerc and Sainz, Ferrari had a strong pairing. The team certainly didn’t lose because of them,” Todt explained. “Now, with Hamilton joining, the lineup remains top-tier.”
However, Todt emphasized that while the driver pairing is crucial, Ferrari’s true title chances will depend on the competitiveness of their 2025 car.
“Will this lineup be better than the previous one? I have no idea. We’ll have to see how strong the car is,” he concluded.
With stable regulations carrying over from last season, Ferrari hopes to start the new campaign on the front foot and finally bring championship success back to Maranello. The combination of Leclerc and Hamilton promises to be one of the most exciting intra-team battles in recent history, and all eyes will be on Ferrari as they attempt to dethrone their rivals.
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