Formula 1: Leclerc-Hamilton is best lineup on the grid, says Marc Gene

New Delhi, April 28 (IANS) Ex-Formula 1 driver and Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene believes his boasts the strongest line-up in the sport with their 2025 pairing, having highlighted how well Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc are pushing each other to be better.

The seven-time world champion Hamilton completed his headline-making switch from Mercedes to the Scuderia during the off-season to team up with long-time Ferrari protege forming an all-star driver duo with Leclerc.

While results have been mixed for Hamilton and the Italian outfit so far, Gene is seeing plenty of positives behind the scenes.

“It’s the best (on the grid) I don’t think you can have a better line-up," said Gene to Beyond the Grid podcast.

"Charles is at a very good point in his career – he’s matured so much. Being the teammate of Carlos, who’s also very diligent, technically very good, very organised, worked so hard… being the teammate of Seb… Charles has been very lucky to have two such good teammates.

“Therefore, now even having Lewis as a teammate, they work very well. They are not political. I can really tell that they work very well [together], and they are pushing each other," he said.

Sainz made way for Hamilton at Ferrari and is now racing with Williams. Gene also touched on the emotions around fellow Spaniard Sainz having to make way for Hamilton after four memorable and increasingly competitive seasons at Ferrari.

“Of course, I was sorry for Carlos, because I’m Spanish and I have a very good relationship with him,” he said. “But when you have the opportunity to have Lewis in the team, and it was a love affair, a mutual love affair, you understand the decision that Ferrari took," Gene added.

Ferrari sit fourth in the Teams’ Championship after the opening five rounds of the season on 78 points, 110 away from leaders McLaren while Leclerc is fifth in the Drivers’ Standings on 47 points, with Hamilton in seventh on 31.

--IANS

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