Charles Leclerc trapped at Ferrari in ‘no alternatives’ warning

On course for a seventh season at Ferrari without a World title, or even being involved in the title fight, Christian Danner says Charles Leclerc has no alternative but to continue with the Italian stable.

Leclerc joined the Formula 1 grid in 2018, racing for the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo team, before joining the Scuderia a year later.

Charles Leclerc told to ‘focus on what he has’

Seven years down the line, Leclerc has yet to reap the rewards that he’s dreamt of, but his support and commitment to Ferrari is unwavering.

Although earlier this year Italian publication Corriere della Sera claimed that Leclerc had grown unhappy at Ferrari’s progress, the Monegasque driver was quick to shut that down.

“I am very surprised, I mean, I have no idea where it is coming from,” Leclerc said at the Canadian Grand Prix.

“So I’d rather just ignore it, and I’ve never said anything like this in the last few races. If anything, I keep saying how much I love the team and want to bring Ferrari back to the top, so I was surprised.”

He added: “The team knows it is not good enough and that Ferrari should be winning, and that is what we are putting all of our efforts into, to try and bring Ferrari back to the top.”

Leclerc’s Ferrari affirmation came 18 months into his latest contract extension, with the driver having put pen to paper on a new multi-year deal in January 2024.

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Although neither Leclerc nor Ferrari revealed the exact timeframe for the new agreement, the driver said it was for “several more seasons to come” with speculation that it runs through to the end of F1 2026.

That allows Leclerc and Ferrari a year to assess the new F1 2026 regulations as Formula 1 races all-new cars and engines.

But according to former F1 driver Danner, even then Leclerc doesn’t have many options but to continue with Ferrari as McLaren’s line-up is locked in, Red Bull has Max Verstappen and Mercedes are set to continue with George Russell.

Danner told motorsport-magazin.com: “Of course, Leclerc is thinking about whether his life as a driver, his career at Ferrari, will take him where he wants to go – the championship.

“He’s definitely questioning that.

“I’m convinced he’s also asked himself this year, ‘what am I even doing here? It’s going to be nothing again’.

“Leclerc is intelligent and a calm, analytical type,” Danner continued. “What are the alternatives?

“Well, under certain circumstances, Mercedes. What Russell can do, Leclerc can do.

“Red Bull is in the midst of an ultimate technical fiasco, and of course, he has to deal with Max Verstappen, at least in the short term.

“At McLaren, it’s clear everyone would want to go there, but is he needed there? I’d say no.

“That means the alternatives simply aren’t there. Leclerc needs to focus on what he has.”

Leclerc is fifth in the Drivers’ standings, 36 points down on third-placed Max Verstappen and a spot on the F1 2025 podium.

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