Last Updated on February 6 2025, 10:45 pm
Charles Leclerc advised to make an unusual change to challenge Lewis Hamilton in 2025 – Charles Leclerc is preparing for one of the most challenging seasons of his Formula One career as he prepares to go head-to-head with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2025. The much-anticipated pairing has already generated a great deal of excitement among fans, with expectations high for the dynamic within the Maranello-based team.
Both drivers have been settling into their respective roles at Ferrari in recent weeks, with Hamilton completing his first tests with the team at Fiorano and Barcelona. His arrival has caused quite a stir among the Ferrari faithful, with reports suggesting that around 3,000 enthusiastic Tifosi gathered to watch him take his first laps in the iconic red car. The enthusiasm was so overwhelming that the mayor of Maranello was forced to declare a ‘state of emergency’ due to the unexpected surge in activity.
Despite an early setback – Hamilton crashed during his second session, which also affected Leclerc’s run – the Briton has remained focused on adapting to his new surroundings. His integration into the Ferrari set-up has been largely smooth, and his presence has already added to the excitement surrounding the team’s 2025 prospects.
While many are eager to see how Hamilton adapts to the Ferrari machinery, an equally compelling storyline is how Leclerc will cope with having one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time as his teammate. Can he rise to the challenge and match Hamilton on a level playing field?
Former F1 driver Jan Lammers believes Leclerc will have to make one specific and somewhat unconventional change if he hopes to compete on a level playing field with Hamilton.
The key to beating Hamilton? A more relaxed approach
Leclerc is widely regarded as one of the most naturally gifted drivers on the grid, but his aggressive and risky driving style has occasionally led to unforced errors. While his raw speed is unquestionable, his tendency to push the limit in high-pressure situations has cost him valuable points in the past.
Speaking to *RacingNews365.nl*, Lammers suggested that if Leclerc is to match Hamilton in 2025, he must learn to adopt a more composed and measured approach.
“They both [Hamilton and Leclerc] have the skills, but maybe Leclerc needs to relax a bit on the one hand. Sometimes he goes too fast and because of that there is a mistake here and there,” said Lammers.
The former driver warned that if Leclerc fails to curb his over-enthusiastic tendencies, it could become a defining weakness in his career.
“If he continues to do it too often, it’s just a part of him and he can’t deal with it.”
This assessment is in line with previous criticism of Leclerc’s riding style. Over the years, he has suffered several high-profile incidents, such as crashing out of the 2022 French Grand Prix while leading, and making mistakes in crucial qualifying sessions. While his speed is undeniable, learning to remain calm under pressure could be the key to taking his performance to Hamilton’s level.
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Eddie Jordan’s warning to Leclerc
Leclerc is not the only one taking advice on how to handle Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari. Former team owner and F1 analyst Eddie Jordan has also weighed in, stressing the need for Leclerc to assert his dominance at the start of the season.
Jordan has urged Leclerc to “get on his bike” and stamp his authority in the early races, making it clear that he intends to be the team leader. While Hamilton is an F1 legend, he is new to the Ferrari environment and Jordan believes that Leclerc must capitalise on this transitional period before Hamilton fully settles in.
This approach could prove crucial, as intra-team battles in F1 often set the tone for future dynamics. If Leclerc can outperform Hamilton early on, he could establish himself as Ferrari’s main contender for the championship.
However, if Hamilton gets the upper hand from the outset, Leclerc could find himself playing catch-up as the season progresses.
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Encouraging signs for Leclerc in Pirelli tests
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Ferrari’s internal battle, Leclerc has shown promising form in recent test sessions. Both he and Hamilton took part in tests for Pirelli’s 2026 prototype tyres, which are set to be lighter and slightly narrower in an effort to reduce the car’s overall weight.
During the session, Leclerc was reportedly over a second quicker than Hamilton. However, the lap times were largely inconsequential as both drivers were running different test programmes.
Nevertheless, Pirelli chiefs were impressed with Leclerc’s adaptability and aggression at the wheel. His overtaking display at the start of the 2023 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where he passed 11 cars on the opening lap, was highlighted as an example of his exceptional racing ability. If he can channel this ability while minimising mistakes, he could pose a serious challenge to Hamilton throughout the season.
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Ferrari’s hopes for a championship-winning car
With Ferrari entering the 2025 season with arguably one of its strongest driver line-ups in years, the team is hoping that the car will be capable of challenging for race wins and titles. The Scuderia has not won a Drivers’ Championship since Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph in 2007, and will be keen to end that drought.
With Hamilton bringing his wealth of experience and Leclerc offering blistering speed and youth, Ferrari have assembled a line-up that could potentially rival the dominance of Red Bull and Max Verstappen. However, for Leclerc to fully capitalise on this opportunity, he may need to take Lammers’ advice and refine his approach to racing.
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Bottom line
Leclerc’s battle with Hamilton will be one of the defining stories of the 2025 F1 season. While both drivers possess immense talent, their contrasting approaches to racing could determine who comes out on top. If Leclerc can balance his natural aggression with a more composed and strategic mindset, he could have a real chance of matching – or even beating – Hamilton at Ferrari.
But if he continues to fall into the trap of over-driving and making critical mistakes, he risks playing second fiddle to one of the sport’s greatest competitors. The challenge ahead is immense, but for Leclerc this season is the perfect opportunity to prove that he belongs at the very top of F1.
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MORE F1 NEWS – F1 to become English based sport, except for Ferrari
Ferrari are the oldest and most successful Formula One team all time, yet they may soon become the only team based outside the English motorsports valley, where until recently seven of the F1 teams were based. Grand Prix racing, where F1 finds its roots, began in France as early as 1894 and quickly evolved from simple road races from one town to the next for the ‘Big Prize’ (Grand Prix), into endurance tests for both car and driver.
Open road racing though took its toll as the routes upon which the GP cars raced, remained unmodified for the high speed machines and were suitable only for the sedentary machinery which were owned by the general public. Spectators were unprotected for the speeding machines and their naivety often saw them standing on the racing routes, often not taking proper attention and being hit by the racers which caused deaths for both the drivers and their audience.
Great Britain was the first European country to ban racing on public roads and to this end the speed freaks decided to build a purpose built venue called Brooklands which opened in 1907. This was an elliptic oval circuit and the first to deploy steep banking to allow the drivers to travel at greater speeds, although the penalty for getting it wrong was the car and driver may fly outside the top of the banking ending 30 feet up in a tree, but more often just simply dead…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
