The moment a young Charles Leclerc was starstruck after seeing Lewis Hamilton has resurfaced.
On Thursday morning, there were shock reports that Hamilton could leave Mercedes for Ferrari ahead of the 2025 season.
In the evening, the news was confirmed as Hamilton stated it was the right time to take on a new challenge.
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The seven-time Formula 1 world champion said: “I have had an amazing 11 years with this team and I'm so proud of what we have achieved together. Mercedes has been part of my life since I was 13 years old.
“But the time is right for me to take this step and I'm excited to be taking on a new challenge.”
Hamilton will be driving alongside Leclerc at Ferrari, with the Monegasque signing a new deal with the team last month.
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On the back of the Hamilton news, an old video of a much younger Leclerc seemingly looking starstruck after seeing the Brit has resurfaced.
At the time, Leclerc was a development driver for Ferrari’s customer team, Haas, and the youngster looked on nervously as Hamilton stood behind him during a red flag stoppage.
Last season, Leclerc already made his feelings clear on having Hamilton as a teammate after he was quizzed by the media.
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The 26-year-old said: “If I say yes, I imagine it being the title of every newspaper.
“Lewis is such an incredible driver, has achieved so much in the sport, so I think anybody on the grid would love to have Lewis as a team-mate, as everybody would learn a lot from him. But again, I’m happy where I am, and with Carlos, it’s a great relationship too.”
On Hamilton’s decision to leave, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said: “We accept Lewis’s decision to seek a fresh challenge, and our opportunities for the future are exciting to contemplate. But for now, we still have one season to go, and we are focused on going racing to deliver a strong 2024.”
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The 2024 F1 season will start with the Bahrain Grand Prix in March.
Topics: Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Mercedes, Charles Leclerc, Formula 1
Marcus Chan