Hamilton’s Ferrari Era Begins: Leclerc on Alert

Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Ferrari is reshaping dynamics within the team, with Charles Leclerc now facing unexpected competition from the F1 legend.

Eddie Jordan believes Charles Leclerc will need to be wary of his new teammate, Lewis Hamilton, who joined Ferrari this winter. The former F1 team boss expects Hamilton to quickly get up to speed.

“Leclerc has been there for seven years, he knows everyone,” Jordan said on the Formula For Success podcast. “He knows the people, what to say, the language. He’s Maranello’s golden boy. However, he will be surprised.”

“I think he had a certain approach with Sainz. But Lewis, I believe, will get going—well, I don’t mean just get going, but within two or three races, he’ll be on pace. I strongly advise Leclerc to be at his best early on because that’s when Hamilton will show a form of dominance.”

The Irishman predicts Hamilton will quickly connect with the tifosi and Italian culture: “As the season progresses, with the growing affection from the fans, especially the Italian fraternity, the tifosi, and the nation itself as a national team, I truly believe Lewis will embrace the love directed toward him.”

Jordan, who initially criticized Ferrari’s decision, now understands the significance of the signing after seeing Hamilton’s early impact: “What struck me was the image of Lewis Hamilton in that coat. It perfectly sums up why I think Ferrari chose him. He’s incredibly popular, absolutely.”

“And check, I think you’ll see nearly six million likes on his look and appearance. It’s a very stylish photo. And it will be iconic. It will be used for many years. Of course, that will depend on how he performs, but I believe the photo will endure.”

“We recently heard about an accident, which is unfortunate, as I also saw the photo of the thousands of tifosi who came to take pictures, wish him good luck, just for a brief reconnaissance run with the car. So you can imagine what it will be like on Grand Prix day.”

“I think he will draw huge crowds. I believe he’s not just the box office of Formula 1, but the box office of every region, particularly the Americas, Asia, and Europe. I fully agree that Ferrari, for many reasons—including commercial ones—made the right choice.”