Charles Leclerc is Ferrari’s new number one, says Hamilton

TIL Desk Sports/ Lewis Hamilton believes Charles Leclerc has usurped four times world champion team mate Sebastian Vettel as Ferrari’s favourite.

Tensions between the 21-year-old Monegasque and 32-year-old German flared in Russia two weeks ago when Vettel appeared to ignore a pre-race pact to hand back the lead to Leclerc after the start.

“It’s an interesting dynamic they have there,” Hamilton told ahead of a Japanese Grand Prix that could crown his Mercedes team as constructors’ champions for the sixth successive season. “Seb was number one. Now, clearly not.

“From the energy, the outlook…(Ferrari are) trying to ramp Charles up,” added the Briton, who leads team mate Valtteri Bottas by 73 points with five races to go and is also heading for a sixth title.