Leclerc admits hype around Hamilton’s Ferrari move increased pressure on team

Charles Leclerc believes that the hype surrounding the arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari has only increased the pressure on the Italian outfit. This would be the cause of the plethora of rumours about team principal, Frederic Vasseur's future.

Ahead of the commencement of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Lewis Hamilton was announced to be joining the Ferrari team for 2025. Having a seven-time world champion at Ferrari naturally generates a buzz, and while the value of the Maranello-based team skyrocketed, it didn't result in only positive effects.

In the press conference prior to the Hungarian Grand Prix, Leclerc was asked whether Hamilton's arrival had not simply created an extra pressure— pressure that in recent months has led to intense scrutiny from the Italian media on the position of team boss Frederic Vasseur.

Read also

Wurz analyzes: Why Hamilton struggled with his Ferrari in Belgium

Vasseur to lead Ferrari back to winning titles? 'What are your plans...'

Leclerc reacts to having the edge in Ferrari fight vs Hamilton

Charles Leclerc responds to Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari hype

Responding to the question on his teammate, the Monagaque driver stated:

"Definitely. The fact that there was so much hype around the team at the beginning of the year made everything worse."

"When we then started the season, I think everybody thought we were going to win the championship, and unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Then there were rumours, and that took a bigger proportion than what we want. These are not things we can control."

"As I was saying earlier, it's part of Ferrari. It's always been the case, and it will never change. We cannot focus on that. The best thing we can do is try and not think about those things as much as possible."