Charles Leclerc shares intriguing Lewis Hamilton behind-the-scenes Ferrari info

Charles Leclerc has described Lewis Hamilton's input as 'interesting', explaining that he has enjoyed learning the areas in which Ferrari 'work differently' to Mercedes. The Monegasque racer's new team-mate spent 12 years with the Silver Arrows before linking up with him in Italy.

Both Ferrari drivers have been forced to take an active role in the development of the SF-25, which is currently falling short of team principal Fred Vasseur's expectations. The steep adaptation curve that Hamilton is experiencing has made matters more complicated. However, while Hamilton is taking time to understand and develop his new machinery, the seven-time world champion has also contributed new feedback angles and perspectives that Leclerc, who has driven for Ferrari since 2019, cannot replicate.

"It's been very interesting to see the areas where we [Ferrari] were working completely differently, compared to a team like Mercedes, which had huge success in the past," Leclerc explained.

"And to compare this way of working. I'm sure that this will help us to do steps forward in the future. There's already been very interesting feedback from Lewis, because for me [the feeling in the car], it's the normality. It opens your mind to different working techniques."

There are signs that the work done by Hamilton and Leclerc is working, too. At Silverstone last time out, Ferrari were the fastest team throughout free practice and even the first two parts of qualifying, but both drivers made errors in Q3, costing them the chance to beat Max Verstappen to pole position.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes that Ferrari's threat is here to stay, too. Despite being 238 points ahead of them in the Constructors' Championship, the 54-year-old described the Italian squad as a threat for the remainder of the season.

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Leclerc is impressed with the fight that the team back at Maranello are putting up. "It hasn't gone as well as what I expected or wanted this season, that's for sure," he continued. "But we are working hard to try and turn the situation around.

"The thing is that you end up in a season [2024] where you are fighting for the Constructors' Championship, and so you start another season hoping to at least start on a similar level.

"It's not that we didn't do steps forward. I think we did. People around probably did a bigger step. More McLaren than any others, and they've done such a massive step that it is very difficult to beat them now. Red Bull also did a significant step forward."