Lewis Hamilton does not feel pressure to ‘prove anything’ going into Australian Grand Prix

Hamilton is teamed with Charles Leclerc at Ferrari and said he had been impressed by the 27-year-old’s “work ethic”.

“It is not too dissimilar to mine,” Hamilton said. “Just getting on with it. He is very much Mr Ferrari and it has been really cool to work alongside him.”

Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 and has been faster than both his team-mates, Sebastian Vettel and Carlos Sainz. The Monaquese rejected any suggestion that he was “Mr Ferrari”.

“There is no place for one particular driver in Ferrari,” Leclerc said. “Ferrari is bigger than any drivers. And that has always been the case. That’s what makes Ferrari so special. There is support of the team and not one specific driver.

“Lewis is coming as a legend of the sport so there is a lot more attention on him than me at the moment but I am completely fine with it. I completely understand that. It’s normal it is that way. It is fine for me.”

Asked if he had given Hamilton any advice on integrating with Ferrari, Leclerc said: “I really don’t think Lewis needs any kind of advice from me. I know the environment more than him but he has introduced himself to the team perfectly and he already seems to be very much at ease.

“It is a long process, he will learn the car and team more. The advice I have given him so far is mostly about food. He knows if he needs anything I am here to answer his questions, no problems. But he needs less advice from me than I do from him.”

Hamilton joined Ferrari with the target of winning a record eighth world title but Leclerc said he, too, was determined to become champion.

“This is my one and only target and goal and dream that remains to be ticked,” Leclerc said. “I had quite a few dreams growing up. One was to be an F1 driver, and to be a Ferrari driver, and to win Monza and Monaco, which I did. And now it’s only about being a world champion. That’s my obsession.”