Former Formulation 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has spoken about why it’s so vital for Lewis Hamilton to outperform his Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc.
After struggling in his first season with the Maranello outfit in 2025, Hamilton is keen to return to his championship-winning type after having a private reset over the winter break.
Whereas it could appear apparent that drivers will at all times wish to beat their team-mates, Montoya defined that Hamilton must outperform Leclerc to get the upgrades first and assist gel his facet of the storage.
“I feel the massive factor for Lewis, I am undecided the place Ferrari stands on the pecking order, however the massive factor for Lewis is he must discover a technique to beat Charles,” Montoya informed F1 TV within the lead-up to the Australian Grand Prix weekend.
“He wants to maneuver Ferrari alongside and focus. It will get to a degree if you’re in a workforce, and your team-mate retains beating you, all the event and every thing goes to go to your team-mate and it is going to be targeted on whoever is quickest.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photograph by: Mark Sutton / Formulation 1 through Getty Pictures
“So, you want to have the ability to lead that. You’ll want to be the person that leads that.”
“Completely, he can,” he added when requested if he thought it was doable for Hamilton. “However I feel he wants to ensure his inside group, just like the group on his facet of the storage, work additional onerous and so they’re as dedicated as he’s. I feel that is the largest factor as a driver that folks underestimate is how good a job you do with the individuals in your storage and the way hungry are they for successful with you.”
Hamilton certified seventh for the season-opening Australian Grand Prix, whereas Leclerc certified in fourth. Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will lock out the entrance row, with Russell taking pole place.
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