Hamilton surprised by Ferrari F1 team-mate Leclerc’s work ethic

Lewis Hamilton says the work ethic of “Mr Ferrari” Charles Leclerc is what has stunned him most about his new Formulation 1 team-mate on the Scuderia.

Hamilton’s blockbuster transfer from Mercedes to hitch Ferrari means he turns into Leclerc’s third team-mate within the Monegasque’s now seven-year stint in crimson – after Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz.

Each Hamilton and Sainz have been requested to offer their opinions on Leclerc within the pre-event press convention for this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix – with how Ferrari’s new line-up in the end evaluate set to be one of many greatest speaking factors of the brand new marketing campaign.

After initially joking “beside his nice hair?”, Hamilton stated: “What stunned me most? Nicely, I’d say work ethic. It has been actually good.

“I did not know [that before], you do not know what occurs behind closed doorways.

“Naturally, I feel each driver works actually onerous, however everybody has a unique technique and the way they obtain that final efficiency.

“And it has been actually attention-grabbing to see, his shouldn’t be too dissimilar to mine. And also you simply see a hardworking child, simply getting on with it.

“He is clearly been within the group a very long time. It is his second group – clearly the group he was with earlier than was, was comparatively quick there, after which he is had this superb time at Ferrari.

“And so, he’s very a lot Mr Ferrari and it has been actually cool to work alongside him and I am actually wanting ahead to working alongside him for the yr.”

Sainz, who has moved to Williams for 2025 after being squeezed out of Ferrari by its cope with Hamilton, in contrast strongly towards Leclerc of their 4 seasons as team-mates.

He urged his former colleague is now hitting a high-point in his profession – with Leclerc’s 2024 season thought-about by many F1 observers to be his greatest within the class up to now.

It featured little in the best way of the wild crashing that marred his early seasons and contained a number of spectacular wins – notably these at Monaco and Monza.

“I feel nobody wants to speak about his expertise and his pace – everybody is aware of that,” Sainz stated.

“I feel he is doing an unbelievable job and he is a part of that group progress that Ferrari has seen lately. And in that Ferrari has a terrific ambassador additionally. And likewise, good on him – good job.

“He is been progressing each as a driver, but additionally as a human being all these years and he is now in all probability in one among his sweetest spots of his profession. He feels mature, snug and possibly able to win. So, let’s have a look at what they will do that yr.”