Former Williams Formula 1 boss warns of Charles Leclerc’s challenge at Ferrari as Lewis Hamilton grows
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc could face a challenging period in Formula 1 as Lewis Hamilton gains momentum in recent races. Former Williams boss Claire Williams expressed her conviction that the Monegasque driver is about to experience a situation similar to that faced by Nico Rosberg at Mercedes from 2013 onwards, as discussed on the High Performance Racing podcast.
In 2013, seven-time champion Hamilton joined the German team and quickly established his authority over Rosberg. The latter, a childhood friend of Hamilton, has already defended the colors of the Silver Arrows since the automaker’s re-entry into the category, which took place in 2010.
From 2014 onwards, with the new rules, Mercedes consolidated its dominance in F1. Despite intense disputes with Rosberg, Hamilton secured the 2014 and 2015 championships, before the German driver mounted a memorable campaign to win the title in 2016 and, surprisingly, announced his retirement shortly thereafter.
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Lewis Hamilton arrived at Ferrari in 2025 under great expectations, especially after the team performed strongly in 2024, competing for the constructors’ title until the final race against McLaren. However, the start of the 2025 season showed a disoriented Italian team and a world champion performing below expectations.
The current situation in 2026 presents an inverse scenario: Hamilton occupies second place in the Drivers’ World Championship, with one victory and three more podiums in seven races. He has a 40-point advantage over Leclerc, who is in fourth place in the general classification.
Analyzing the history of the rivalry at Mercedes between Hamilton and Rosberg, Claire Williams made a blunt observation. She stated that “Lewis completely subdued Nico”, but highlighted that “Rosberg later mentally pushed himself to the limit to win the World Cup”.
The former Williams boss emphasized that “this will represent a significant test of character and personality for Leclerc.” She raised the crucial question: “the important thing is to check whether Charles has the maturity and psychological resistance necessary to face this confrontation.” Finally, Williams added that “Lewis is a very experienced driver, and his years of career could give him a decisive advantage in this dispute.”
