Charles Leclerc lifts lid on Ferrari updates during Lewis Hamilton negotiations

Committing his future to Ferrari a week before the bombshell Lewis Hamilton announcement, Charles Leclerc was kept abreast with the developments as Hamilton negotiated his swap to Ferrari.

Hamilton broke the internet back in February when the Briton announced that he had exercised a release clause in his Mercedes contract and would leave the team at the end of the 2024 championship.

Charles Leclerc was aware of Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s mutual interest

Shortly after, Ferrari confirmed his signing in a brief statement that simply read: “Scuderia Ferrari is pleased to announce that Lewis Hamilton will be joining the team in 2025, on a multi-year contract.”

Hamilton’s move to Ferrari means he’ll partner Leclerc in 2025 as the two chase Ferrari’s first Drivers’ title since the 2007 F1 championship.

The seven-time World Champion’s decision to swap silver for red surprised many in the paddock, including his Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff who was informed of his decision some 24 hours before the announcements went out.

One person though who wasn’t surprised was Leclerc.

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“It had been in the air for a while, but until there is an official confirmation you can’t be sure,” he told the Italian edition of Motorsport .

“I knew there was interest from both sides, and in these cases it is very likely that an agreement will be reached.

“I didn’t ask to know more, it’s not part of my role, but I must say that everyone has always been very open and sincere with me.”

So open that the Monégasque driver knew the situation was moving forward even before the official confirmation that he’d have a new team-mate in Hamilton come 2025.

“Fred [Vasseur] told me, but I repeat, day after day I had the perception that things were going in that direction,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t remember a specific phone call in which they informed me of Lewis’ arrival, probably because I wasn’t surprised by the agreement.

“It was a conviction that grew progressively until the official announcement.”

Hamilton’s signing meant the end of the Ferrari road for Carlos Sainz, who first partnered with Leclerc in 2021 when he joined the team after a two-year stint with McLaren.

The three-time Grand Prix winner will join Williams next season, signing for 2025 and beyond.

But although Leclerc is looking forward to partnering Hamilton, he was quick to point out his good relationship with his soon-to-be-former team-mate Sainz.

“I want to say that I am very happy with the way I worked with Carlos, he is an incredible driver and we overcame very difficult moments during our experience at Ferrari,” he said. “And it is also thanks to his contribution that we are improving, we have always worked well together.

“At the same time, when you have a seven-time World Champion joining the team it is always good news, very interesting and very motivating.

“It is interesting because I will be able to learn from one of the best drivers in the entire history of F1, and it is very motivating because I am intrigued by the comparison with Lewis with the same car.

“For these two reasons I can’t wait to start this new chapter, but I still want to say that I have always had a great time with Carlos too.”

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