Charles Leclerc, Ferrari’s lead driver, has praised Lewis Hamilton’s extraordinary ability to brake later than any of his former teammates, including Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz. Since joining Ferrari, Leclerc has competed alongside several top-tier drivers, yet he finds Hamilton’s late braking technique unmatched. With Lewis Hamilton now as his teammate, Leclerc recognizes a new level of skill that challenges even his own reputation as a late braker.
Leclerc first partnered with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Vettel was succeeded by Carlos Sainz, who raced with Ferrari from 2021 to 2024. Currently, Leclerc shares the garage with seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton, creating one of the most formidable driver pairings on the grid. Despite this, Leclerc has consistently maintained an impressive form, establishing himself as one of Formula 1’s elite racers.
In a recent interview, Leclerc was asked what aspect of Hamilton’s driving surprised him the most. The Monagasque driver revealed his admiration for Hamilton’s braking, which surpassed his expectations given his past experience with teammates known for their own late braking styles.
“I expected many, many things from Lewis. Obviously joining the team and having so much success in F1, you kind of expect to see the speed, the special things, in terms of driving. So all these kind of things were expected.”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari racer
He continued,
“I still got surprised with the way he brakes, by example. I think how late he brakes is very impressive. In my career, I’ve always been the one braking later than my team-mates and that is a particular driving style I didn’t really see in any of my team-mates. I think Lewis is a step ahead, even more so in that direction. So that surprised me.”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari racer
Hamilton’s Discipline and Focus Impress Leclerc
Beyond driving technique, Leclerc expressed his admiration for Hamilton’s strong discipline and efficient management of multiple responsibilities. The seven-time champion balances numerous off-track commitments, and Leclerc finds his ability to stay focused on racing while handling these projects remarkable. This discipline is something Leclerc did not anticipate before becoming teammates with Hamilton.
“But then for the rest, I think the rest is what surprised me the most, and it’s things that I did not expect. His discipline is very, very impressive. From outside, I obviously remember I was seeing him managing so many different things, and I was like, ‘This has to be hard.’”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari racer
Leclerc added,
“But then when you look at how organised everything is, you can understand that he’s just 200 per cent focused on racing, and then everything is super well organised for these other projects to run very smoothly, without his implications daily.”
—Charles Leclerc, Ferrari racer
Looking Ahead: Hamilton Aims to Narrow the Gap
Despite Hamilton’s respected skills and focus, he is determined to extract more performance from the Ferrari car as the season progresses. Hamilton’s goal is to close the competitive distance between himself and Leclerc, pushing the team closer to championship contention. His remarkable late braking and disciplined approach will be critical to this effort as Ferrari looks to strengthen its position against rivals.
