Sky F1 pundit Nico Rosberg believes Charles Leclerc has a three-race window to “pounce” on Lewis Hamilton’s weaknesses at Ferrari in F1 2025.

And he believes Hamilton has entered a new “phase” of his Ferrari career after a challenging triple header, with the seven-time World Champion now having “lower expectations.”

Charles Leclerc told ‘to pounce’ on big Lewis Hamilton ‘weakness’

Hamilton’s struggles with his new team continued during the recent triple header spanning the Emilia Romagna, Monaco and Spanish grands prix.

After recovering from a Q2 exit to secure fourth, his best race result as a Ferrari driver at Imola, Hamilton finished almost a minute behind race winner Lando Norris at the following round in Monte Carlo.

Hamilton suffered another troubled race in Spain, where he was instructed by Ferrari to swap positions with Leclerc in the early stages.

Lewis Hamilton vs Charles Leclerc: Ferrari head-to-head scores for F1 2025

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Leclerc went on to claim Ferrari’s third podium finish of the F1 2025 season with third place, following up his fine second place in Monaco, with Hamilton forced to settle for sixth having been passed by Nico Hulkenberg’s Sauber in the closing laps.

Rosberg spent four seasons as Hamilton’s team-mate at Mercedes, memorably claiming the World Championship in 2016 before announcing his retirement five days later.

And he is convinced that Leclerc must “pounce” during Hamilton’s current woes, warning that the seven-time World Champion will “come back with a bang” within weeks.

Asked if Leclerc must take advantage of Hamilton’s struggles, he told Sky F1: “Definitely.

“That was one of Lewis’s weaknesses.

When he does get down on [himself], you have to pounce – because you don’t know how long it’s going to last.

“You know he’s going to come back with a bang, so you might have one race, two races, maybe three, and you have to maximise your points, because afterwards it will be very difficult again.

“So that’s a little bit his weakness, yes, but I would still say it’s a nuanced difference to Lando [Norris], who generally just doubts himself more permanently and a little bit more.”

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Rosberg went on to suggest that Hamilton appears to have reset at Ferrari, accepting the “difficult” situation he is in and operating with lower expectations as a result.

He added: “What I saw from Lewis was a little bit more of an acceptance. OK, yes, the situation is difficult.

“The expectation has come down also and now build from there with a lower expectation.

“I think he’s in that phase now.”

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