Charles Leclerc will see his contract with Ferrari expire at the end of the 2024 F1 season. In a time when the Prancing Horses are neither hinting towards a possible contract renewal nor even providing a championship car to fight for the title, Red Bull saw the opportunity to take advantage of it.
This has come at a time when the Monegasque has full intention to stay with the Italian team, but for the Scuderia, their priority remains elsewhere. Leclerc took home a handsome salary of $24,000,000 last season for finishing in P2 in the driver’s championship and is still waiting in the wings for his contract to be settled.
Since the 25-year-old is still available, teams like Red Bull and Mercedes have ample interest in the young driver. Earlier, there were rumors regarding Lewis Hamilton’s swap deal with Leclerc, and now Red Bull has joined the bandwagon to put him alongside Max Verstappen.
Why does Red Bull want to target Leclerc?
Given how the competition is increasing, with every team doing their best to stay on the top of the grid, Red Bull will have to do their bit as they no longer can just bank on the dominant RB-19 and its successors.
With Perez misfiring now and then, it will not be possible for Verstappen to carry the team for a longer period of time. Even if the Mexican manages to keep going, his contract expires in 2024, and there is hardly any chance of renewal.
It feels good to be back in the podium. We’ll work flat out to be back on the top step as soon as possible 🇦🇹 pic.twitter.com/m06SHKPUUA
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) July 2, 2023
In that scenario, a champion team like Red Bull would want both of the drivers to deliver to keep their hold on the Constructors’ championship. And Leclerc, someone who shares a great relationship with the Dutchman, might fit in perfectly, as per Formula1.uno.
Apart from Red Bull, Liberty Media is also supportive of the move as this will not only make the sport more exciting but also bring larger viewership. As the Austrian team fancies Leclerc’s separation, going by his recent comments, it is believed he might not jump ships as yet.
Will Leclerc stay back at Ferrari?
While there have been multiple reports of the driver leaving Maranello, Charles Leclerc snubbed every rumor whenever he heard of them so much so that he seems to be in love with his Red overalls endlessly.
As per a recent report by The Guardian, the Monegasque said he wants to take the team to great heights again. As things stand, Leclerc will have to wait for that to happen as the Italian team is still to make noticeable progress.
All in all, it’ll be interesting to see what Ferrari does to keep the 25-year-old on the team. Otherwise, he might well be on his way to Milton-Keynes if the Italian stable fails to perform for seasons in a row.
