There’s plenty to get excited about ahead of the 2025 Formula 1 season but the situation at Ferrari might just be the most intriguing.
Ferrari know that they have a fantastic opportunity to secure their first Constructors’ Championship title in 16 years this season.
Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz have helped close the gap to McLaren to just 24 points with a Sprint weekend at the Qatar Grand Prix and the finale in Abu Dhabi left to run in a gruelling final triple-header.
Leclerc wasn’t happy with Sainz at the end of the race in Las Vegas as he didn’t believe team orders were followed.
He missed out on one of the most glamorous podiums on the calendar and even thought he could catch future teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Ferrari explained to Leclerc the mistakes he made after the race but will be hoping when 2025 rolls around, they have fewer issues when it comes to their drivers getting along.
David Coulthard was speaking on the Drive to Wynn Podcast about the upcoming partnership between Leclerc and Hamilton at Ferrari.
It’s hard to argue that they won’t be one of the strongest pairings on the grid and Coulthard has explained one way he thinks the seven-time world champion might have the upper hand over his Monegasque partner.
David Coulthard explains why Lewis Hamilton might ‘outsmart’ Charles Leclerc
Analysing Ferrari’s 2025 line-up, Coulthard said: “I’m curious to see if he makes it work.
“He’s not going to outspeed Charles Leclerc. Charles is one of the quickest guys. I think he’s more poles than anyone else at Ferrari who hasn’t won a world championship.
“He might outsmart him. And it all depends, for me, whether in the short off-season, he’s able to recharge that battery because I think what happens through life is that you end up carrying baggage.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
“It may be, expensive luggage, Louis Vuitton, other expensive brands are available, but it’s still baggage that needs to be carried and you can’t unlearn what you’ve learned in terms of you get the experience, but you also have the responsibility.
“And that’s the brilliant thing with youth, you don’t know what you don’t know. You just go for it!
“Whereas with experience you go, well, I won’t do this and I won’t do that and it helps you in some ways, but I think it also detracts in others. So, [the] jury’s out.”
Lewis Hamilton has to solve his qualifying issues before facing Charles Leclerc at Ferrari
As Coulthard explains, Hamilton is already at a disadvantage against Leclerc because of the 27-year-old’s qualifying pedigree.
Martin Brundle thinks Leclerc is the fastest driver in F1 right now and it’s hard to disagree.
His record of 26 pole positions when it could be argued he’s never had the fastest car on the grid is incredible.
READ MORE: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton’s life outside F1 from net worth to family
However, in Hamilton, he’s up against someone with exactly four times as many poles over his glittering career.
Unfortunately, Hamilton’s qualifying performances have suffered this season and he’s 17-5 down against teammate George Russell this season.
Hamilton apologised to Mercedes in Las Vegas after making mistakes in both of his flying Q3 laps that potentially cost him his final shot at victory with the team before moving on.
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