Frederic Vasseur Calls For Urgency In Charles Leclerc Renewing His Ferrari Contract Amid Mercedes Interest

Charles Leclerc is one of the most popular and talented drivers in F1 today. So far, the Monegasque has spent his entire F1 career under the Ferrari wing, starting out as the team’s junior at Sauber in 2018. Just a year later, Leclerc earned his dream move to the Scuderia.

At Ferrari, Leclerc has not been able to fight for the Championship for the majority of his stint so far. He joined the legendary outfit during a difficult time for them, and it wasn’t until 2022 that he actually had hopes of winning the Title.

Despite starting that season with optimism and strong results, their charge for the Title faded due to strategy errors and reliability issues. As a result, Leclerc finished P2 in the Standings, whereas Max Verstappen won his second consecutive World Championship.

❤️❤️❤️ https://t.co/xmnDFCccqp

— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) November 20, 2022

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Extending the contract for Charles Leclerc should be Ferrari’s priority

Leclerc has always insisted that he’s a huge Ferrari fan. He has always wanted to drive for the prancing horses, and wearing the red overalls before a race has been a dream. However, the fact that they haven’t been able to provide the 24-year-old with a Title-winning car yet might put doubts in his head.

Leclerc may love Ferrari as a fan, but as an F1 driver, his dream will be to compete for wins regularly and win the World Championship ultimately. According to Motorsport Italy, Mercedes can help Leclerc out with that.

Lewis Hamilton’s current contract runs out at the end of the 2023 season, and Mercedes would love to replace the Brit with a generational talent like Leclerc.

🚨| Charles Leclerc has a Ferrari contract until 2024, but his renewal beyond that is a top priority for Vasseur and Maranello.

The only risk to Charles’ renewal is if Ferrari can’t provide him a good car, Lewis Hamilton retires in 2024 and Charles is tempted by Mercedes.

— Ferrari News 🐎 (@FanaticsFerrari) January 20, 2023

However, Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur feels Leclerc’s contract extension should be of utmost priority for the Maranell0-based outfit.

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Vasseur hopes to keep Leclerc away from Mercedes’ interest

Vasseur joined Ferrari as team principal in 2023 after spending the previous five years at the Hinwil squad, Sauber. The Frenchman has a great relationship with Leclerc, which was highlighted on multiple occasions, so it is not surprising that he wants the Monegasque driver to stay longer.

According to Motorsport Italy, Vasseur wants Ferrari to prioritize Leclerc’s contract signing because losing a talented driver will be a disaster. Ferrari hopes to bounce back from the disappointment of the 2022 season by aiming for both Titles next year.