Source: REUTERS/MANAMI YAMADA
[Saba Sports News] 1997 World Champion Jacques Villeneuve made a shocking statement: Lewis Hamilton completed a power grab at Ferrari in just three races. The Canadian legend said in a live British media broadcast that the seven-time champion’s dominating performance in the Chinese sprint race has demoted Charles Leclerc from the “prancing horse prince” to the “number two driver,” completely rewriting the power structure in Maranello. Data reveals that although Leclerc leads Hamilton in the head-to-head races, the Brit has crushed him on key indicators: the first pole position and the first victory were both achieved by him. In terms of team radio call frequency, Hamilton is 43% more than Leclerc. Villeneuve pointed out that when Hamilton stood on the Ferrari roof wearing the same suit as Giovanni Agnelli, the power game was already predetermined. During winter testing, all cameras followed him, and Leclerc instantly went from the protagonist to the supporting role. The most fatal transfer was in technical influence. It is reported that Hamilton has taken the lead in the development direction of the SF-25 car, and his insistence on a “stable rear” setting is gradually replacing Leclerc’s preferred “aggressive front end.” Insiders revealed that Leclerc has been forced to use Hamilton’s chassis settings in the simulator tests for the last two times, and this technical favoritism is more crushing than the points gap. After the Japanese Grand Prix, the points gap between Hamilton and Leclerc is not large, and although both have no chance of competing for the world championship, they are expected to engage in more intense competition for internal team influence, and another paddock feud is about to begin.