Charles Leclerc says that every driver on the Formula 1 grid would like to have Lewis Hamilton as their team-mate.
In recent weeks, speculation mounted that Ferrari was preparing to offer Hamilton a significant offer to join the team in 2024.
The team has denied that it has issued an offer to the seven-time World Champion, while Hamilton himself has asserted that his extension with Mercedes is close to being signed.
Rumours suggested that should Hamilton join the Scuderia squad, it could be alongside Leclerc, who has raced for the team since 2019.
When asked if he would welcome Hamilton at Ferrari, Leclerc said: “If I say yes, I imagine it being the title of every newspaper.
“Lewis is such an incredible driver, has achieved so much in the sport, so I think anybody on the grid would love to have Lewis as a team-mate, as everybody would learn a lot from him.
“But again, I’m happy where I am, and with Carlos [Sainz] it’s a great relationship too.”
Sainz has raced alongside Leclerc at Ferrari since the start of the 2021 campaign, with both drivers having their contracts in place until 2024.
While Leclerc says he would be pleased to compete in the same team as Hamilton, he asserted that he is satisfied to race alongside Sainz.
“I mean, a fast teammate, as everybody [wants],” he said. “We are in Formula 1 and we love to be fighting against the best.
“But that’s not to say that my team-mate is not fast; Carlos is an extremely fast driver. Considering that I’m not the person who makes the choices, let’s see [what happens].”
Hamilton’s contract with Mercedes currently expires at the conclusion of the 2023 campaign.
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