Ex-Ferrari driver delivers brutal blow to Charles Leclerc: "Enzo Ferrari wouldn't have even welcomed him as a customer”

Charles Leclerc has been with Ferrari for seven years now and is the star anticipated to bring the Scuderia back to winning ways. However, former Ferrari driver Arturo Merzario recently came out and took a shot at the Monegasque driver, suggesting Leclerc isn't “special”.

Charles Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 after a year with Alfa Romeo and winning the F2 title. The Monegasque is seen as the golden boy at the Maranello-based team tasked with winning Ferrari's first championship since Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph in 2007.

The 28-year-old finished the 2025 season 5th in the standings with 7 podiums to his name and 242 points. On the other hand, his teammate, the seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton, finished 6th, failing to score a podium finish throughout the campaign.

F1 Grand Prix Of Abu Dhabi 2025 - Source: Getty

With the fans considering Leclerc as the lead driver at Ferrari, Arturo Merzario came out and detailed how the 28-year-old is an excellent driver, but isn't “special”. He said,

“Leclerc has ended up occupying a position at Ferrari that wasn't his at the time. He's an excellent driver, like many others. If you throw names in a hat and pick one, they're as good as any. He's not special.” (via Automoto.it)

Merzario went on to explain how Lewis Hamilton hasn't fully integrated himself at the Maranello-based team, and hence didn't perform at his best in 2025.

“Who would boast about competing against a seven-time world champion like Hamilton, when in reality Lewis gave up because he didn't feel integrated into the team? Why would he give 110% under these circumstances?” added Arturo Merzario “If Enzo Ferrari had been there, he wouldn't have even walked through the gates of Maranello. I'm sure of it. He wouldn't have even welcomed him as a customer,” added the former Ferrari driver as he took a shot at the Monegasque driver.

Arturo Merzario drove for Ferrari in the early 70s with a P4 result in the 1973 Brazilian GP and South African GP being his best result for the team in red.

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Charles Leclerc manages the expectations from Ferrari going into the 2026 regulations

Ferrari arguably had the second-fastest car in 2022 when the new ground effect regulations were introduced by the FIA. Charles Leclerc finished that season as the runner-up, and it was questioned whether the Italian would be in a better position going into the 2026 season compared to the last major regulations change.

“I have no idea. Nobody knows where the others are; there are so many unknowns. I’d rather not speak and wait until next year, in the first few races, to see where we are. In the meantime, we’ll just focus on the project and try to work in the best possible way, and we’ll see,” said Charles Leclerc

Mercedes and Red Bull have reportedly found a loophole in the engine regulations where the compression ratio would increase as the power unit heats up. If the reports were to be true, then Ferrari and other rivals are already on the back foot going into 2026.

Edited by Pranay Bhagi