Charles Leclerc faces a “make or break” year when he goes up against new Ferrari teammate Lewis Hamilton in 2025, F1 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has claimed.
Seven-time world champion Hamilton will become Leclerc’s third Ferrari teammate next season having sensationally decided to quit Mercedes.
Leclerc outperformed Sebastian Vettel and has largely held the edge over current teammate Carlos Sainz, who will make way for the incoming Hamilton.
The Monegasque has won just five grands prix compared to Hamilton’s 103 and Villenueve reckons Leclerc is set for a potentially career-defining period when he is joined at Maranello by the Briton.
“He still has to prove it,” 1997 F1 world champion Villeneuve told GPFans.
“He’s shown a lot of speed, he’s shown that he’s super fast, but he’s not the one who won the race for Ferrari last year. So it will be interesting to see how that balances out inside Ferrari.
“This will be make or break for Charles, not for Lewis.”
Leclerc has finished behind Sainz at every race so far this season.
Sainz finished third ahead of Leclerc at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix before he was forced to skip the next round in Saudi Arabia due to having an appendectomy.
Upon his return, Sainz headed a Ferrari 1-2 to claim a brilliant victory in Australia, before once again getting the better of Leclerc in Japan.
Former F1 driver Vitantonio Liuzzi has suggested that Leclerc is “suffering” as a result of Sainz’s impressive form.
“Leclerc and Sainz? I have to say that last year, in the second half of the season, I saw incredible growth from Carlos. He proved it with the victory in Singapore,” he told Italian publication Corriere dello Sport.
“I did not expect to see a Leclerc so under pressure and in trouble this year, he is suffering from the performance of Sainz, who will leave at the end of the season, but Hamilton will arrive in his place; therefore, Leclerc will have an important battle next to him.
“I hope Charles can find himself, he will be fundamental for the balance of the red car.”
