Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton gave Ferrari fans something to smile about this week — and it had nothing to do with lap times. Ahead of the official unveiling of Ferrari’s new fully electric road car, the Luce, both drivers took turns behind the wheel for a short test drive. What followed was a moment that spread across social media within hours.
When Hamilton climbed in and promptly began pushing the Luce to its limits, Leclerc’s composed demeanour vanished instantly. The Monégasque driver could be heard shouting: “Whoa! No-no-no-no-no, please don’t do that! LH! LH-LH-LH… …LH. Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful! Careful, yeah? Wow! LH! Stop laughing!”
The seven-time world champion, naturally, found the whole thing hilarious. Leclerc later admitted, “I thought you were pushing like crazy,” which, by most accounts, was exactly what Hamilton was doing.
The internet had thoughts
The clip moved fast online. On Reddit, one user captured the contrast perfectly: “Charles driving and Lewis in the passenger seat: Calm. Lewis driving and Charles in the passenger seat: PANIC STATION.” Another wrote, “That ‘LH’ is taking me out,” while a third added, “Lewis’ giggle at the end fully sent me.”
Not everyone was just laughing, though. One commenter reflected on what the moment says about the Ferrari partnership: “These two are the best team-mates on the grid. Genuinely feel like they have a great relationship and have a lot of fun together.” Hamilton joining Ferrari at the start of the 2025 season raised plenty of questions about how two high-profile personalities would coexist, and moments like this keep answering them in the most straightforward way possible.
What is the Ferrari Luce?
Beyond the entertainment, the Luce itself is a serious machine. Ferrari’s new fully electric road car is powered by a 122 kWh battery pack paired with four independent motors producing a combined 1,035 horsepower. The 0–62 mph sprint takes just 2.5 seconds, top speed is listed at 192 mph, and Ferrari quotes an estimated range of up to 330 miles.
Leclerc, who had the honour of pulling the silk red cover off the car at the official unveiling, gave his honest take on the design direction. “The design is very-very different to what we’ve seen from Ferrari in the past, but I think it’s very futuristic. It’s very Ferrari-like to look towards the future and to innovate,” he said. He also singled out one detail that clearly resonated: “I love that it’s back to having more physical buttons so you can actually drive, look at the road, and you can feel.”
Hamilton’s assessment focused on how the car behaves in motion. “In terms of the attention to detail you can tell that it’s very Ferrari,” he said. “The power delivery is amazing. You just feel centred the whole time even when you’re going through corners.”
That last part might explain why Leclerc was gripping something tightly in the passenger seat.
Both drivers head to Montreal this weekend for the Canadian Grand Prix, where the only electric elements will be the hybrid power units under the new 2026 regulations — and where Hamilton will presumably be the one doing the pushing while Leclerc, this time, will have nowhere to shout from.