‘Logical’ team swap identified for Charles Leclerc amidst Ferrari future talk

Ralf Schumacher has put forward a “logical” option should Charles Leclerc decide to quit Ferrari.

While Leclerc has not expressed a public interest at leaving Ferrari, he appears an increasingly frustrated figure as issues with the car and the team hamper any chance he has of winning races and world titles.

At 25 years old, Leclerc is now at an age where he is expected to fight for races and championships but he has found himself far behind Max Verstappen, a man just a few weeks older than Leclerc.

It remains to be seen when or if Ferrari will be able to fix their problems but if they do not then Leclerc may look for brighter pastures elsewhere.

Mercedes has been mooted as a possible destination but Schumacher has put forward a different option should Leclerc be after a move away.

“So far, there have only been Mercedes and Red Bull as potential options,” he told Sky Germany. “Mercedes is not quite as current at the moment, and it’s safe to assume that Hamilton will continue there.

“But I believe a strong candidate is also Aston Martin, as they also need to look around. Fernando Alonso will have another year after that. Who knows, [Lawrence Stroll’s] son doesn’t fulfil the season goals, they may need to bring in another strong driver for the future, building alongside Fernando Alonso.

“Accordingly, that would be a logical possibility for Charles Leclerc, also considering the Honda partnership eventually.”

Leclerc was probed about his future following reports of talks with Mercedes but the Monegasque insists his goal remains to win a world title with Ferrari.

“It has always been a dream for me to be in this team and my main priority is to win a world championship with this team,” he said. “So it’s not something in my mind. I’m fully committed to Ferrari and I love Ferrari.

“There have been] zero [talks with Toto Wolff.] Zero. Really zero,” he claimed. “You all smile because you don’t believe me, but I promise.”

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Alonso meanwhile has admitted he is “tempted” to extend his current deal which expires at the end of the 2024 season.

“It’s true that in 2026 there will be another change in regulations with the new engines,” Alonso said. “And that is another temptation.

“I feel fresh, I feel fast, I feel motivated. Whether it’s two, three, four or however many years, I don’t know yet.

“To be in F1, you give up family, life and friendships so it has to be worth it. Especially at the end of my career I want to fight for something important again.”