Hamilton ‘would support Leclerc, I’m a Ferrari fan’

Michelle Foster
Lewis Hamilton pats Charles Leclerc on the arm as he congratulates him. Bahrain March 2022

Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton pats the Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc on the arm as he congratulates him. Bahrain March 2022

If Lewis Hamilton was a Formula 1 spectator, he’d be in the stands waving a Charles Leclerc flag and cheering on the Ferrari driver.

When a seven-time World Champion reckons you’re the one he would be support, well that’s something to be said about a driver’s ability.

Although the last two grands prix, Spain and Monaco, have not gone to plan for Leclerc, the Monégasque is still one of the favourites to take this year’s World title. He just needs Ferrari to get it right.

Reliability cost him the Spanish Grand Prix win while a botched pit stop meant he went first to fourth at his home race in Monaco, his lead in the Drivers’ standings overturned in those two races to a nine-point deficit to Max Verstappen.

The Dutchman was the driver who beat Hamilton to last year’s World title, this season Hamilton says he’d support Leclerc in returning the favour to Verstappen.

“Leclerc is very strong, you could always see that,” Hamilton told Corriere della Sera.

“I would say one thing: if I could sit down with the fans on the bleachers over there, I would support Charles. I am a Ferrari fan.”

Lewis Hamilton wearing a face mask while standing in front of the Mercedes logo. Barcelona February 2022

That of course led to the question would Hamilton ever race for Ferrari.

The Mercedes driver is out of contract at the end of next season and has given no indication as to where his thoughts lie when it comes to his future.

Asked about the possibility of joining Ferrari, Hamilton said: “Of course it would have been nice to race for Ferrari during my career, but things happen for specific reasons.

“Mercedes is my family, I will always be a Mercedes driver, like Stirling Moss was.”

 

It is not the first time Hamilton has spoken about racing for Ferrari, and it’s not the first time he’s said it will never happen.

Speaking to Sky Sports last season, he said that it is “definitely going to be crazy to think that I never drove for Ferrari.

“For everyone that’s a dream position to be in,” he added.

“It was just never really fully on the cards for me.

“I’ll never know fully exactly why, but I wish them all the best and I’m going to spend the next bit of my time stopping them from winning the championship!”

Additional reporting from Luca Brambilla

 

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