Lewis Hamilton has been warned that Charles Leclerc is likely to outperform him in the upcoming 2025 Formula 1 season, due to the Briton being past his prime.
That’s according to ex-Formula 1 driver Marc Surer, who told London Insider that he believes that Hamilton’s age will slow him down in qualifying, though he believes the seven-time world champion could be faster-than-expected on Sundays if Ferrari give him a suitable car.
“I think Leclerc will be faster than 40-year-old Hamilton. It is not possible at this age to be as fast as Leclerc,” Surer told London Insider.
“But a lot will depend on the handling of the car. We know Hamilton is quite sensitive to how the car handles.
“If it’s to his favour, he could do very well in the race, so maybe in race performance it will be not as clear as qualifying,” he added.
Surer added that he thinks Ferrari will be “clever enough” to use team orders early in the season if Leclerc or Hamilton build an advantage in the championship, to give the Italian team the best chance of ending their trophy draught.
“I think Ferrari will be clever enough to use team orders quite quickly, because if they have a chance to win the championship, they should use team orders quickly and not wait, like McLaren did last year,” Surer explained.
Hamilton’s fans will be hoping that he can win his elusive eighth world championship with Ferrari in 2025, but according to an analysis of bookmakers’ odds by My Betting Edge, the 40-year-old only has a 14% implied likelihood of winning the title this upcoming season.
However, not everyone on the F1 grid believes Hamilton’s odds are so slim, with Carlos Sainz – who lost his Ferrari seat to the Brit – saying there is a “high chance” Hamilton will fight for the title with Ferrari.