Hamilton warned of Leclerc F1 challenge in Ferrari ‘back garden’

Lewis Hamilton has been warned over facing a significant challenge from Charles Leclerc when he joins Ferrari.

The seven-time world champion will bring his long-standing partnership with Mercedes to end following the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix later this year.

Hamilton has opted to join Ferrari and partner Charles Leclerc at the Italian team as he commences a new career challenge.

The move was announced prior to the start of the ongoing F1 campaign with Hamilton taking over the drive currently held by Carlos Sainz.

It is seen as a major signing for Ferrari, who has poached Hamilton away from the Mercedes squad with whom he has scored six of his seven F1 titles - however, the Brackley-based squad's performance has taken a downturn since the introduction of new technical regulations in 2022.

Ex-F1 driver Martin Donnelly highlighted the move will have massive commercial benefits for Ferrari, away from its on-track results.

“It’s a great move for Ferrari,” Donnelly exclusively told RacingNews365. “You're bringing in over a billion pounds in merchandising deals for the company. 

“Few people realise just how much money they make from merchandise.”

Hamilton is set to take part in a private Testing of Previous Cars (TPC) outing with Ferrari as his debut ahead of pre-season testing next year.

The Briton will be Leclerc's third full-time team-mate at Ferrari following stints alongside Sebastian Vettel and current seat-holder Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc has been part of the Ferrari organisation since 2016 as a junior driver before debuting for the squad in 2019.

Having long held a presence within the company, Donnelly warned Hamilton that asserting himself as the lead driver will be no simple task.

“It will be good for the sport,” he said. “I don't think he's going to walk into Leclerc’s back garden and nick his football. It won't be that easy.

“But it's good for the sport, it’s good for the Tifosi who have got somebody else to cheer for.

“For him, maybe where he's been at Mercedes for the last three years with porpoising, in Interlagos they [still] had problems with that.

“But I think him going there is good for the sport, he opened eyes. I don't think that Leclerc will be an easy man to beat. He's quick, I’d say he's equally as quick as Lewis on his day.

“But for them, hopefully for constructors’ points, we'll see them at the front along with Red Bull.”