Flavio Briatore: Hamilton and Leclerc would be the best partnership

Flavio Briatore has admitted that a combination of Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc together at Mercedes would be the best one. Leclerc is in just his second season in F1 but he is already gaining a big reputation among many, winning his first to races at Spa and Monza this season.

Briatore feels that the 22-year-old is the driver best placed to challenge Hamilton who is set to become a seven-time world champion in the coming races.

"For me, both Verstappen and Leclerc and Hamilton can be world champions, " Briatore said.

"If Leclerc were on the Mercedes instead of Bottas for me they would be almost on par.

"For me, the best team would be to see Hamilton and Verstappen or Hamilton and Leclerc on the Mercedes."

The Brit is 64 points clear of his teammate Valtteri Bottas with just four races remaining of the season.