F1 News: Charles Leclerc Was Aware Of Lewis Hamilton Talks Ahead Of Contract Extension

Charles Leclerc speaks out on Lewis Hamilton joining Ferrari from 2025.

Charles Leclerc has revealed that the news of Lewis Hamilton's impending move to Ferrari in 2025 came as no surprise to him, despite the widespread astonishment it caused in the Formula 1 world. This revelation followed his own recent contract extension with the iconic racing team.

Key Takeaways:

• Leclerc was privy to the discussions about Hamilton's move to Ferrari, unlike many in the F1 community.
• He acknowledges the value Hamilton will bring to Ferrari while also appreciating his time with Carlos Sainz.
• Leclerc and Hamilton have already begun discussing their future collaboration.

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The Formula 1 community was taken by surprise earlier this month with the announcement that Lewis Hamilton would be joining Ferrari in 2025. This news broke shortly after Charles Leclerc confirmed his commitment to Ferrari in a new multi-year deal. During the unveiling of the SF-24, Leclerc shared his thoughts on Hamilton joining the team.

Leclerc stated to the media, as quoted by GP Blog:

"Well, obviously these kind of deals are not finalised overnight, so it of course takes time and I was aware of those discussions before signing my deal, so it didn’t come out as a surprise for me after signing."

Reflecting on his partnership with Carlos Sainz, Leclerc expressed respect and sentiment, saying:

"Then for the rest, I don’t want to comment it that much, mostly of out of respect for Carlos, we’ve had great years together and we have one more year together to do, and we will do everything to finish on the highest note possible." 

Leclerc also acknowledged Hamilton's exceptional skill and experience, adding:

"Obviously Lewis is an incredible driver, the most successful in history, and with a lot of experiences as well, which he will bring to the team and obviously myself which is a good thing. But again, with Carlos it’s been great and we have got one more year together to try to do the best job possible."

The discussions between Leclerc and Hamilton about their upcoming partnership have already begun. Leclerc shared:

"I mean yes, I have had discussions with Lewis, especially when everything was announced and it was official, we texted each other of course. As I’ve said, Lewis is a great champion with a lot of experience and so much success, so it is always interesting to have a new teammate, as we learn different ways of working and driving and even more so when my new teammate is a seven-time world champion."

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