Rosberg Warns Hamilton: Leclerc Could Be His Toughest Challenge Yet After Ferrari Switch

  Rosberg Warns Hamilton About Leclerc After Ferrari Move

Nico Rosberg has issued a cautionary message to Lewis Hamilton, highlighting the challenge he will face against Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. This comes after Hamilton’s tough season at Mercedes, where he lost the qualifying battle to George Russell, being out-qualified 19 times to five. Despite both winning two races each, Russell ended the season with 22 more points than Hamilton.

   Rosberg’s Warning: Leclerc’s Qualifying Prowess Could Challenge Hamilton

Hamilton, a seven-time World Champion, is set to begin a new chapter with Ferrari, partnering with Leclerc for at least the next two seasons. Leclerc, known for his impressive one-lap speed, boasts 26 pole positions and eight race victories. Rosberg, the 2016 World Champion, believes that Leclerc’s speed over a single lap could pose a significant challenge for Hamilton, similar to what he faced with Russell.

Speaking on Sky F1, Rosberg stated, “If we look at Abu Dhabi, I’d definitely say Charles will start ahead. He’s on a similar level to George Russell, one of the best from the new generation, aside from Verstappen, who is a notch higher. Lewis is struggling currently, and we’re unsure why.”

However, Rosberg remains optimistic about Hamilton’s overall abilities, suggesting that the British driver might still edge ahead by the end of the season. “Lewis is the greatest of all time. We give him the benefit of the doubt that he can return to his best, and if he does, he should be slightly ahead of Charles by the year’s end.”

   Davidson: Hamilton Deserves the Benefit of the Doubt 

Anthony Davidson, a former Formula 1 driver, agrees with Rosberg’s assessment, emphasizing that Hamilton’s performance in 2024 might have been affected by knowing his time at Mercedes was coming to an end. Davidson believes that Ferrari is hopeful Hamilton will regain his form when he debuts for them in Australia.

“I think Ferrari is hoping his passion reignites in the new car, helping him rediscover his mojo,” Davidson commented. “This year has been tough for Lewis, knowing all season that his time with Mercedes was ending. That’s a challenging situation for any driver, which likely affected his consistency.”

Both Rosberg and Davidson believe that Hamilton deserves some leniency for his 2024 performance, with the anticipation that he will rise to the occasion in his new role at Ferrari. As the 2025 season approaches, all eyes will be on the Hamilton-Leclerc rivalry and how the two champions will fare as teammates.