Charles Leclerc Reveals He Studied ‘Every Single Thing’ Lewis Hamilton Does as Ferrari Teammates Head to Canadian Grand Prix

Charles Leclerc has offered a candid insight into how he has approached his partnership with Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, revealing that he has closely examined every element of the 41-year-old’s pre-race and in-car preparation since Hamilton made his high-profile move to Maranello ahead of the 2025 season.

Speaking in an interview with Sky Sports F1, the Monegasque driver made clear that his scrutiny of Hamilton extends well beyond what happens on the circuit. “I analysed every single thing he does as a preparation, all the way to when he jumps into the car,” Leclerc was quoted as saying by Motorsport Week. “But I think the approach is what made him have all the success that he’s had in the past.”

While Leclerc acknowledged that driving styles naturally differ from track to track and corner to corner — with each driver carrying their own distinct strengths — he was emphatic that Hamilton’s off-track discipline and methodical preparation set him apart as a competitor and underpin his record-equalling seven World Championship titles.

This is not the first time Leclerc has shared a garage with a driver of such pedigree. The Ferrari mainstay previously navigated a partnership with four-time champion Sebastian Vettel during his early years at the Scuderia, a period that produced its share of internal friction but also valuable experience. Now in his eighth season with Ferrari, Leclerc holds the edge over Hamilton in the 2026 standings, having accumulated two podiums to Hamilton’s one across the opening four rounds of the campaign.

Despite that current advantage, Leclerc has been measured in his assessment of his teammate, describing Hamilton as a formidable presence in the SF-26. The competitive balance between the two drivers will be closely watched as the season develops, with the Canadian Grand Prix next on the calendar providing another opportunity for both to extract further performance from Ferrari’s 2026 challenger.

For Ferrari as a whole, the stakes extend beyond individual rivalries. Hamilton’s arrival at the team was met with considerable excitement from the Tifosi, who remain hopeful that the partnership can help end the constructor’s Formula 1 championship drought — a wait that stretches back to 2008 when Kimi Räikkönen claimed the drivers’ title. The team has shown early promise in 2026, remaining competitive with Mercedes while managing the emerging threat posed by McLaren.

Leclerc, however, has made no secret of where his personal ambitions lie. “Ferrari is very special for me… I would love to be winning a world championship with Ferrari,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been working on since the first day I arrived here, and I really hope this will happen one day.”

With the 2026 season still in its early stages and the competitive order yet to fully crystallise, the dynamic between Leclerc and Hamilton — both in terms of performance and mutual respect — is shaping up as one of the defining storylines of the year in Formula 1.