Ferrari F1 boss hints Lewis Hamilton team-mate ‘jealousy’

Ferrari Formula 1 team principal Fred Vasseur has hinted that Charles Leclerc may be jealous of his new team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

Seven-time world champion Hamilton joined the Scuderia during the off-season, after calling time on a historic 12-year spell at Mercedes.

The move captured the attention of sporting fans around the world when it was announced ahead of the 2024 campaign, and excitement was at fever pitch ahead of the 2025 season-opener in Australia, with fans desperate to see the F1 legend in red for the first time.

His arrival has taken much of the focus off Leclerc, who has been the team's biggest star for a number of years, but Vasseur believes this might actually work in the Monegasque's favour.

Speaking to L'Equipe, the Frenchman said: ”He's less in the spotlight, it's true, but it gives him more time for himself, to do other things, to be with his engineers.

”There's some good in that. There could be a little frustration, some jealousy, but I think Charles is intelligent.

"He understands the situation better and, above all, he sees the positive side of all this. He can put 100 per cent of himself into the sporting objective.”

Ferrari frustration after difficult start

Neither Hamilton or Leclerc have got off to the best of starts in 2025, and are a long way off the likes of McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, as well as defending champion Max Verstappen, who picked up his first win of the season at last weekend's Japanese Grand Prix.

Both Ferrari stars finished inside the top 10 in Suzuka, but offered no challenge to those at the top of the order.

It was a similar story in Australia, while there was embarrassment at the China GP the following week, as both drivers were disqualified post-race after their vehicles were deemed to have breached weight regulations.

Heading into Bahrain this weekend, Hamilton and Leclerc sit sixth and eighth in the drivers' standings respectively, while their combined tally of 35 points has left the team facing an uphill battle to fight for the constructors' title.

Ferrari took it to the final day in 2024 before being pipped by McLaren, but already find themselves almost 100 points behind the British outfit.

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