F1 News

Briatore: “I would keep Leclerc” rather than Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

28 December 2019 at 12:08
  • Bevan Youl

Flavio Briatore has said that he would keep Charles Leclerc at Ferrari over Lewis Hamilton to save money for car development in the Scuderia’s attempt to beat Mercedes.

Since the end of the 2019 Formula 1 season there has been a lot of speculation about Hamilton’s future, specifically being linked with a move to Ferrari in 2021 after meeting with John Elkann, the Scuderia’s president.
 
Along with the Briton being linked with a move, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has also been rumoured for a switch to join the six-time World Champion.
 
But Briatore feels Ferrari should just focus on working on their car rather than employing another star driver alongside Leclerc and trying to acquire Wolff.
 
"Hamilton in Maranello in 2021? Between him and Charles Leclerc, I would keep Leclerc. And it also costs less," Briatore told Rai Gr Parlamento.

"Toto Wolff in Ferrari in 2021? He is a shareholder at Mercedes. It does not make sense to go to work as an employee of another team, then it would not be the solution to the problems.”

The 69-year old, who previously managed Renault in F1, used his former team’s current situation as an example after they signed Daniel Ricciardo from Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and didn’t have the best 2019.

"Ferrari needs a leader. What is important is the car,” he added.

"Renault, for example, gave [Daniel] Ricciardo a boat load of money, but it was better to invest it in the development of the car.

"Ferrari must work to have a car half a tenth from Mercedes, then the driver makes the difference."