Button: Leclerc-Hamilton relationship at Ferrari ‘tricky’ with old Lewis

Jenson Button says he is intrigued to see how Lewis Hamilton adjusts to Ferrari’s environment next season, although he doesn’t expect his former McLaren teammate to have any issues with his future teammate Charles Leclerc.

F1 fans and indeed the entire racing community were taken aback ahead of the start of the 2024 season by Hamilton’s decision to leave Mercedes at the end of the year and switch his allegiance to Ferrari.

The sensational move, facilitated by a release clause in his contract with the Brackley squad, represents a major shift for the seven-time world champion.

At Mercedes, Hamilton has thrived within a team meticulously crafted around him, continuously contending for championships. But Button observes that the Scuderia operates differently, as team success is paramount for the Italian outfit.

The 2009 F1 world champion therefore wonders how Hamilton, accustomed to being the undisputed number one driver, will adapt to a more collaborative environment where “it’s all about Ferrari”.

• Read also: Hamilton admits to ‘strange transition moment’ in F1

“I think if it was Lewis of sort of seven, eight years ago, it will be a tricky relationship,” Button commented on the recent Sky F1 podcast.

“But now, he just seems so relaxed in himself and no, I don’t think they’re going to have issues as being team-mates at all. No more than Carlos [Sainz] and Charles have right now.

“Do I think they’ll work well together? Yes. I think the positives that Charles has - he knows the team, speaks Italian - if he wanted to, he could make it really really difficult for Lewis and that team, the atmosphere.

“And you can say, ‘Well, that’s not sportsmanlike’, but that’s part of racing and Nico Rosberg will tell you that as well.

“It’s about getting the team of people behind you, so that gives you strength and it takes away strength from your team-mate.

“But Lewis has been around long enough to understand the situation and I’m really, really looking forward to that fight between team-mates.”

Will Hamilton seamlessly integrate into this team-first culture? Can he maintain his championship focus while potentially sharing the spotlight with Leclerc?

These are the questions that Button and the entire F1 world are waiting to see answered in the upcoming 2025 season.

“Obviously, they’re working together, they’re Ferrari. It’s all about Ferrari. That’s the one thing with Ferrari,” continued the 15-time Grand Prix winner.

“In every other team, you can kind of say, ‘Yeah, the driver is out for himself’. And the team obviously. But in Ferrari, everyone works for Ferrari. It’s all about Ferrari winning the world championships.

“It’s a different way of racing, definitely, for someone like Lewis, who is such a star in this sport. Suddenly, he’s kind of working for Ferrari to win the championship.

“So I look forward to seeing the dynamic there and that’s going to be very exciting next year.”

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