Jun.18 (GMM) Charles Leclerc’s struggles against Lewis Hamilton are becoming increasingly psychological, according to former Ferrari driver Rene Arnoux.
Having struggled in his first season alongside Leclerc in 2025, Hamilton is now emerging as Kimi Antonelli’s closest challenger in the championship.
Arnoux admits he did not see it coming.
“I thought Hamilton had lost his edge with age, but he proved to be a true champion,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“He took the team on his shoulders, earning the fans’ trust.”
The 77-year-old Frenchman also praised Ferrari’s rapid technical progress. “Ferrari has taken a huge step forward,” said Arnoux.
“The developments have worked, and the championship is still long.
“All the ingredients are there for a nail-biting battle with Mercedes.”
The situation looks very different on the other side of the garage.
Leclerc has endured a difficult run that included crashes in Monaco and Barcelona, while Hamilton has steadily gained confidence with the car.
“Right now, his morale is rock bottom,” Arnoux said of the Monegasque.
“He’s shown a fragility that was unexpected in some ways, making too many mistakes.”
Arnoux believes the problem is no longer primarily technical.
“He’s clearly not comfortable with the car, but the problem is primarily mental. He wasn’t expecting this level of competitiveness from Hamilton.”
Arnoux also weighed in on the growing debate about Mercedes team orders after Toto Wolff admitted Barcelona may have slipped away because George Russell and Antonelli were allowed to race each other.
Wolff has already suggested Mercedes may take a different approach if a similar situation arises again.
However, Arnoux believes the Spanish GP did not justify intervention. “It’s early, we’re not even halfway through the championship,” he said.
“In Barcelona, George Russell was faster than Kimi Antonelli in free practice and qualifying. The team couldn’t ask him to move.”
Even so, Arnoux sees very different pressures on the two Mercedes drivers.
“The Briton’s situation is complicated,” he said.
“Everything is at stake. If Russell were to lose the world championship, his future would be in the balance.”
Antonelli, by contrast, “can race with more confidence,” Arnoux continued.
“He’s only 19 and has competed in 31 races in his career, so the expectations are completely different.”
Arnoux believes the championship leader also enjoys enormous support within Mercedes. “Kimi is loved by the team and by Wolff, and I think he has a good chance of winning the title.”
But he warned Mercedes against allowing a rivalry to escalate.
“They must be careful – there have been too many incidents between teammates in the past.”