Leclerc insists there's no shift towards backing Hamilton over him at Ferrari

Charles Leclerc denies that there has been any shift towards Lewis Hamilton in the Ferrari Formula 1 team camp as the seven-times World Champion has moved into title contention.

Hamilton has had the upper hand in recent weeks, with his Barcelona victory the obvious highlight after his back-to-back second place finishes in Montreal and Monaco.

It’s also been very clear that he’s become much closer to the team than during his difficult first season in 2025. Leclerc meanwhile has had a run of misfortune, although he was much happier after switching brake suppliers for Barcelona, and outqualified Hamilton in Austria.

The Monegasque driver downplayed the suggestion that later in the year he might have to play a supporting role and be subject to team orders.

“I don't think there's been a particular shift in the garage,” he said. “A performance swing can happen. Last year it was one way, this year it's another way. And as a driver, you just focus on your side, but Ferrari has always been family for me, and we'll see how it is at the end of the season, and no matter the situation I find myself in.

“Of course, teams come first, but I don't really want to think about it as of now. I've got a lot to think about my own performance at the moment, and that's where my focus is. Then we'll see later on.”

Leclerc conceded that Hamilton is much more comfortable in the Maranello camp than he was last season. “Lewis is more at ease with the team, and that always helps,” he said. “The first year you arrive in a team, you don't necessarily know which person you need to speak to for that particular subject, that is not really something anymore. He knows most of the people in the team, and is as much at ease as I am.
 

“But in terms of process we are improving and we are changing things, but I wouldn't say anything different to the approach we've had in the past. You always look at your weaknesses as a team, and try to improve them, and that's what we are doing.”

Leclerc also implored that the last two races have been better, even if the results haven’t shown that.

“There were there are few things that made me more comfortable in the car in Barcelona, for sure,” he said. “And I think it was a much more positive weekend in terms of pace and feeling.

Unfortunately, the result on the Sunday was known, as we had a technical issue, and on the Saturday, obviously cost me quite a bit to do the mistake that I've done in Q3, so for this reason it hasn't been the weekend I wanted.

“But in Austria it's true that on Sunday I struggled more, so I put a lot of effort into it, and I understood few things. Whether this is enough? It's never enough. Then I'll keep working as hard as I can to try and get more performance.”

He added: “It's also fair to say that the next two races will be, I think, very tough for the team. But the best thing I can do is to keep my head down and keep pushing, no matter where we are fighting.”