Domino effect: Leclerc's future in F1 can only be impacted by Verstappen

18:18, 12 Jun

byKada Sarkozi

Charles Leclerc could look around for other options should Ferrari fail to improve. The Monegasque driver is rumoured to have a contract until 2029 with the team, but with clauses, he could leave the Scuderia. What options could be there for Leclerc?

Ferrari are filled with cyclical crisis, Corriere della Sera writes. Leclerc joined the team in 2019. He has been a Ferrari junior as well, being the team's gem for years.

The options named are Mercedes and Aston Martin, and as GPblog could reveal Max Verstappen is staying at Red Bull Racing for the 2026 season, Leclerc could be the biggest name that could be the first domino to fall in an upcoming silly season.

Leclerc is not Verstappen

Mercedes are yet to have drivers signed for the upcoming campaign, however, unless the four-time world champion would like to join one day (as we reported the earliest in 2027), it is hard to imagine team principal Toto Wolff giving up on either George Russell or Kimi Antonelli. Russell is to Mercedes to what Leclerc is to Ferrari: a top driver who with the right car can one day be a champion.

Antonelli is the talent of the future, and someone who can learn from Russell. The Briton has also been very consistent in 2025 so far. Therefore, Mercedes can think: if it ain't broke, don't fix it. If the rumoured advantage the German have in terms of 2026 is true, they have the drivers at their squad.

For Aston Martin, 2026 seems to be an unlikely year for Leclerc to switch already. The team have Fernando Alonso signed, and Lance Stroll has the seat next to him. It is also a bigger gamble, but with signing key experts such as Adrian Newey or Enrico Cardile, 2027 can be an option. But if Red Bull fail to improve, Max Verstappen then could once again think about leaving, with the aforementioned two teams already being heavily linked to attract the Dutchman.

Therefore, while Leclerc is a gem to Ferrari, it is hard to imagine someone passing on the gems they have 'at home' to secure him. The driver in demand would then be Verstappen. If the Dutchman ends up leaving Red Bull one day, the first domino falls, and then can Leclerc be attracted by Mercedes or Aston Martin, or even McLaren, should the rest of the drivers in demand begin to look for other options.