Hamilton's 'mind games' with Leclerc are in action - Schumacher

      Lewis Hamilton’s long-anticipated first victory with Ferrari is increasing the pressure on his teammate Charles Leclerc. The seven-time world champion concluded a winless streak that dated back to his last years at Mercedes with a dominant win in Barcelona, marking a significant turnaround in his performance, which has elevated him to P2 in the drivers’ championship, trailing only the frontrunner Kimi Antonelli. Meanwhile, Leclerc’s season has taken a downturn, even with his recent long-term contract extension with Ferrari.

      Following a contentious crash in Monaco, which he attributed to Brembo and led to a switch to Hamilton’s Carbon Industrie brake material, the Monegasque driver experienced a significant qualifying crash in Barcelona and later took responsibility for it. After the race on Sunday, Leclerc confessed that he is facing challenges. "I’m not at the level I want to be at, I need to find more performance," he stated.

      1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve believes that Hamilton’s revival could have serious implications within Ferrari. "It’s a contract with better terms, practically a lifetime contract," he commented regarding Leclerc’s extension. "But who’s actually scoring points for Ferrari? Who’s contesting the top places?"

      Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher contends that Hamilton has already established a psychological edge. "Now the mind games between the two are beginning," he told Sky Deutschland. "It’s clear they're not exactly on good terms, perhaps reminiscent of Rosberg and Hamilton back in the day." Schumacher suggested that Hamilton’s recent assertion that he has "remembered who I am" was not just directed at his critics. "Currently, Leclerc is applying too much pressure on himself," he remarked. "Lewis is handling it very strategically. He understands that under normal circumstances, he can't be faster than Leclerc, but he’s trying to subtly push him."

      "Charles is perplexed as to why he no longer holds that two-thirds of a second advantage and is beginning to overdrive the car." Schumacher noted a similar pattern during his own F1 career alongside Juan Pablo Montoya at Williams: "You just keep racing, pushing, and eventually, you either overextend yourself or make mistakes like Charles did."

      With Hamilton now in P2 in the championship ahead of George Russell, Schumacher believes Mercedes is facing a significantly more challenging competition than it did earlier in the season. "It will definitely be tougher for Mercedes," he stated.

      However, Leclerc claims he feels no envy regarding Hamilton’s breakthrough success. "I’m happy for the team because they truly deserve it, and for Lewis, who has worked so hard and is now more at ease with the car," he said. "Now it’s on me to just focus on my work. To be completely candid, there’s no jealousy, but I think disappointment is the feeling I’ll take home, so I need to reset and hope for a cleaner weekend in Austria, and then we’ll see."

      Formula 1 CEO Stefano Domenicali shares the excitement over Hamilton's return to prominence. "It’s a sign of respect to have that legacy in the sport," he told DAZN. "You demonstrate your commitment to fighting in challenging times when others were telling you to leave. To be there competing and winning is incredible. Very happy."