In the wake of Lewis Hamilton’s shock announcement that he would quit Mercedes for Ferrari in 2025, footage of a press conference last season has resurfaced in which Charles Leclerc discussed his ideal teammate – and it perfectly foreshadowed the seven-time champion’s bombshell move.
Last year, there were plenty of rumours that Hamilton was mulling a potential exit from the Silver Arrows.
Instead, he signed a fresh two-year deal with Mercedes – only to this week enact a get-out clause that will see him join Leclerc from 2025.
But back in May 2023, speaking ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Leclerc was asked what he looks for in a teammate.
Flashing a smile at Hamilton, he replied: “Hello, Lewis!”
Did the Monegasque star know something we didn’t?
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He added: “I mean, a fast teammate, as everybody. We are in Formula 1, and we love to be fighting against the best.
“But that’s not to say that my teammate is not fast. Carlos (Sainz) is an extremely fast driver. But yeah, considering that, I mean, I’m not the person who makes the choices. So yeah, let’s see.”
Leclerc was asked directly if he would like to have Hamilton as his teammate.
“If I say yes, I imagine it being the title of every newspaper,” he said.
“But I mean, Lewis is such an incredible driver, has achieved so much in the sport. So, I think anybody on the grid will love to have Lewis as a teammate, as everybody will learn a lot from him. But yeah, again, I’m happy where I am. And with Carlos, it’s a great relationship too.”
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It’s not the only moment that bizarrely foretold Hamilton’s momentous call.
Just two days before Hamilton’s move was confirmed, Ferrari announced Peroni as a new sponsor the 2024 season in a graphic that included a tailored Peroni bottle amid a smattering of Ferrari merchandise.
It included a Ferrari car bearing with the number 44 – the number Hamilton uses in F1.
It led social media into a conspiracy theory frenzy, though the more rational explanation was that the car pictured was meant to represent Maurice Trintignant’s 1955 Ferrari race car – the star who won the Monaco Grand Prix that year in the number 44.