Ferrari chief sheds light on whether Lewis Hamilton or Charles Leclerc will be number one driver in 2025

Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has spoken about whether Charles Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton will be the team's number one driver in 2025.

Hamilton will leave Mercedes to join Ferrari at the beginning of next year, ending an association with the German manufacturer that dates back over 20 years to his days in junior formulae.

The seven-time world champion will replace Carlos Sainz, who subsequently signed a contract to join Williams from 2025.

Questions were raised over who would be considered the 'lead driver' at Ferrari, given that Leclerc has been with the Scuderia since 2019, amid Hamilton's huge success in the sport.

Hamilton and Russell both receive equal treatment at Mercedes, while the same can be said for Leclerc and Sainz at Ferrari, with both drivers achieving similar results in recent seasons.

Now, Vasseur has partially cleared up the situation as Hamilton enters his final few races with the Silver Arrows.

Speaking to reporters before this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, he explained: "I'm not complaining about Leclerc and Sainz.

"But Lewis, with his list of achievements and his spirit, will push every element of the team to be even more demanding."

Hamilton is committed to Ferrari for at least 2025 after signing a multi-year deal, although it is yet to be announced how the contract has been structured.

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He has had a number of differing team-mate dynamics during his time in Formula 1, including his tumultuous relationship with Fernando Alonso during his rookie season with McLaren in 2007.

He would become McLaren's undisputed lead driver in 2008 when Heikki Kovalainen joined the team, before being on a more equal footing with Jenson Button.

Hamilton would then have regular duels with Nico Rosberg upon joining Mercedes, with the Brit then the clear lead driver when Valtteri Bottas joined the team upon the German's surprise retirement in 2016.