Vasseur encourages Hamilton-Leclerc rivalry at Ferrari

Vasseur welcomes Hamilton and Leclerc rivalry ahead of 2025 season.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur has expressed his enthusiasm for the budding rivalry between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc as they head into the 2025 Formula 1 season.

Vasseur remains confident that this competitive edge will not devolve into internal politics, a common issue in the high-stakes world of F1.

Hamilton's high-profile move from Mercedes to Ferrari this winter marked one of the most significant driver changes in recent history. Meanwhile, Leclerc, who is 13 years Hamilton’s junior, has been a staple at Ferrari since 2019, having risen through the ranks of the team's driver academy.

The two drivers are reportedly thrilled at the prospect of joining forces as teammates. Their camaraderie has already been demonstrated through online chess matches, setting a positive tone at the start of their partnership.

Vasseur emphasized the importance of preserving a healthy team dynamic, expressing little concern over potential tension. "At this part of the season, all the teams are world champions, all the teammates are in their honeymoon, and so on and so on! It's like this in F1," Vasseur remarked.

"The first weeks of collaboration between the two [drivers] was mega good. I'm not surprised at all, they spent a couple of hours last year during the [pre-race drivers'] parades to discuss. They were able to build up the relationship," he continued.

Teammate rivalries have historically escalated, especially with a championship at stake. One notable instance was the intense competition between Hamilton and Nico Rosberg at Mercedes from 2013 to 2016. However, Vasseur anticipates Hamilton and Leclerc will foster a mutually beneficial environment, learning from and pushing each other to new heights.

"It's always an opportunity and one of the skills of the driver is to try to always improve," Vasseur explained. "A good way to improve is also to take the experience or the performance of your teammates, because the driver is the closest of you and you can have access to the data that you can work with."

He added, "Honestly, I'm not scared at all with this, because we need to have this kind of emulation... If we want to perform, we need to have two drivers performing. We need to have two drivers in a kind of competition, a positive competition and a positive emulation. And I'm sure that it will be the case."

As the new season approaches, the motorsport world will be watching closely to see how the partnership between these two formidable talents unfolds. Vasseur’s confidence in their ability to elevate each other's performances could well define Ferrari's season and possibly reshape the dynamics of Formula 1 driver rivalries.

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