Ex-Ferrari Driver Slams Leclerc: 'Enzo Wouldn't Have Let Him In'
F1 icon Arturo Merzario launched a scathing attack on Charles Leclerc, stating the Monegasque "isn't special" and that Enzo Ferrari would have never allowed him through Maranello's gates.
F1 legend and former Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario has launched a blistering critique of Charles Leclerc, questioning his right to a Ferrari seat and claiming he's not a special talent. Merzario went as far as to say that under founder Enzo Ferrari, Leclerc "wouldn’t have even made it through the gates of Maranello." The comments, delivered to Italian media, come despite Leclerc comprehensively outperforming seven-time champion teammate Lewis Hamilton this season.
Why it matters:
Merzario's comments, while from a bygone era, resonate with the romanticized, ruthless image of Enzo Ferrari, for whom only the absolute best were good enough. The criticism adds another layer of pressure on Leclerc, who is entering a pivotal eighth season with the Scuderia, still chasing his first world title. It highlights the intense scrutiny Ferrari drivers face, where performance is measured not just against teammates, but against the ghosts of the team's legendary past.
The details:
- 'Not a special driver': Merzario dismissed Leclerc as merely "a very good driver, like many others," suggesting his Ferrari seat was undeserved at the time he got it and that "if you put a bunch of names in a hat and pick one out, they’re all much the same."
- Downplaying Hamilton battle: He downplayed Leclerc's on-track superiority over Hamilton this season, which saw Leclerc secure all seven of the team's podiums. Merzario claimed Hamilton "has taken his foot off the gas because he doesn’t feel integrated within the team."
- The ultimate insult: The most stinging remark was the assertion that Enzo Ferrari would have barred Leclerc from entering Maranello, going so far as to say he "wouldn’t even have been welcomed as a customer."
Looking Ahead:
Leclerc is set to begin his eighth season with Ferrari, a critical campaign as he aims to fulfill his dream of winning a world championship with the team. With the 2026 regulation overhaul on the horizon, this period represents a final opportunity for the current generation of cars to deliver a title for the Monegasque. While Merzario's views are harsh, they underscore the immense weight of expectation that comes with driving for the Prancing Horse, a pressure Leclerc must navigate to secure his legacy.