Nico Rosberg has warned former F1 teammate Lewis Hamilton that he’ll face an enormous problem going up towards Charles Leclerc at Ferrari.
Hamilton will turn out to be teammates with Leclerc as he embarks on a brand new chapter of his storied and illustrious F1 profession at Ferrari, having accomplished a blockbuster change from Mercedes.
The seven-time world champion will go head-to-head with one in all F1’s most fun and quickest drivers in Leclerc, who’s considered by many as being the quickest over a single lap.
Regardless of being the all-time report holder for F1 pole positions with 104, Hamilton has struggled in qualifying in latest seasons and suffered a complete 19-5 defeat to former Mercedes teammate George Russell within the head-to-heads final time period.
And Rosberg, who pipped Hamilton to the world title in 2016 earlier than retiring from F1, believes his former teammate might want to up his sport if he’s to carry the sting over Leclerc.
Requested who he thinks will come out on high between Leclerc and Hamilton, Rosberg informed Sky F1: “In case you take [Abu Dhabi], then undoubtedly Charles.
“As a result of Charles will probably be on an identical degree to George Russell, which is form of one of the best of the following technology degree, apart from Verstappen, [who] was a little bit larger once more, and Lewis is simply struggling in the meanwhile, and we don’t actually know why.
“So if it’s as of in the present day, then Charles will beat him in the identical manner as George Russell is thrashing him – however Lewis is the best of all time.
“We nonetheless give him the advantage of the doubt that he will be again to his ordinary finest, after which he needs to be barely forward of Charles on the finish of the yr.”
Hamilton will be given ‘good thing about the doubt’
Fellow ex-F1 driver and Sky pundit Anthony Davidson reckons Hamilton will be afforded the “good thing about the doubt” for his qualifying struggles throughout a troublesome closing season with Mercedes in 2024.
“I believe they’re hoping that his fireplace is rekindled when he will get into that automotive, and that he can discover his mojo once more,” Davidson stated.
“I believe this yr [2024] has been significantly powerful for Lewis. I can’t think about, as an ex-driver myself, feeling for an entire season, understanding you’re going to cease, understanding that relationship goes to finish.
“It will need to have been tough for Lewis. I believe that’s why he’s been a bit up and down. Give him that good thing about the doubt.”
How Hamilton fares at Ferrari, and whether or not he can deal with his latest one-lap woes, is ready to be a storyline which dominates the 2025 marketing campaign.
Hamilton will make his Ferrari race debut on 16 March on the season-opening Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
