Former Formula 1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya has urged Charles Leclerc to put aside his pride and seek advice from teammate Lewis Hamilton on how to recover from his recent slump. Hamilton, who endured a difficult first season with Ferrari, secured his first win for the team at the Barcelona Grand Prix, reigniting his title hopes. Meanwhile, Leclerc has suffered several crashes and a dip in form, leading to increased scrutiny.
Montoya's Advice for Leclerc
Speaking on the Pit Lane Torque podcast, Montoya emphasized the importance of Leclerc learning from Hamilton's ability to adapt and improve. He stated, "I think this is a really good lesson for Charles to understand why Lewis is so good. When Lewis arrived, Charles was expecting this, but the Lewis he got was a guy that wasn't happy with the car. And [Leclerc] thought, 'I'm this good, I should win everything.' But then Lewis kept his head down and kept working and figured it out."
Montoya added that Hamilton's transformation has made Leclerc uncomfortable, but he believes the Monegasque is fast enough to match his teammate. The key, according to Montoya, is for Leclerc to understand how Hamilton turned things around. "They need to sit down and go, 'Okay, how did Lewis transform this?'" Montoya said.
Pride and Collaboration
Montoya acknowledged that such a conversation would require Leclerc to set aside his ego. He remarked, "Would Charles be comfortable having that conversation? Most people are not. Especially when you're younger, you don't need any help and you don't want to help anybody. I had that mentality, and it was wrong. Charles should use this as a good lesson."
The Colombian driver believes that if Leclerc can learn from Hamilton's approach, it could make him a world champion. Hamilton, 41, is currently second in the drivers' championship, 41 points behind leader Kimi Antonelli, and 40 points ahead of Leclerc in fourth.
Ferrari's Dilemma
With Hamilton outperforming Leclerc, some have suggested Ferrari should prioritize Hamilton's title bid. Montoya noted that the team might adjust the car to Hamilton's preferences, but they must also consider Leclerc's long-term future, as he recently signed a contract extension. "It's not an easy thing to do, because you have the future of Ferrari long term, that is Charles, but then you have a seven-time world champion in your car too," Montoya said.
He highlighted that the car is becoming more competitive, and Hamilton's happiness with the setup is yielding results. "The crazy thing is the car is getting more competitive. They won a race and beat the unbeatable Mercedes. It'll be very cool to see how this expands in the next few races," Montoya concluded.
