The marriage between Charles Leclerc and Ferrari is a failure, certainly not due to the Monegasque. The generation of drivers born at the end of the last millennium has now become the “veteran” generation in Formula 1. With the exception of Max Verstappen, they are all still looking for their breakthrough. A group of young drivers who are at risk of not making history in the top category, as the new generation is making a strong impact.
Oscar Piastri is clearly ready to fight for the Formula 1 world title, and Kimi Antonelli is showing signs of his talent, which Toto Wolff wants to build Mercedes’ future successes upon. In Formula 1, more than in other sports, success is the result of human skill combined with the technical excellence of the car. The top class has several champions who had all the tools to carve their name into the history of the category.
From Stirling Moss to Jean Alesi, including Clay Regazzoni, Gilles Villeneuve, and many others. Stories of drivers who, for various reasons, were unable to capitalize on their talent. A fate that seems to befall Charles Leclerc, who, in his seventh year at Ferrari, is bitterly realizing that he will have to postpone his ambitions of victory indefinitely. At this point, a clear analysis needs to be made. Regardless of Oscar Piastri’s value and the McLaren McL39, the potential world title conquest by the driver from Melbourne would have a mocking taste for Charles Leclerc and also for George Russell, who have many more years of experience than the Australian and the same record in lower categories. As we know, fate plays a big role in these cases.
We know well that life is made of sliding doors, and Oscar Piastri, wisely supported by his manager, friend, and fellow countryman Mark Webber, former Red Bull driver, made the right choices when he was at a crossroads. Imagine him now in Alpine: we would still be talking about a great driver, but with a much less impressive career path, possibly compromised by how things are going in Formula 1.
In the most important motorsport series, there are no flags, no stories. Drivers put their interests ahead of the team’s, and we saw proof of that just two days ago when Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton caused a commotion in Ferrari’s garage over a measly seventh place at the Miami International Autodrome in Florida last weekend. Of course, Ferrari still holds a considerable allure because winning a Formula 1 title with the Prancing Horse gives the driver eternal glory.
However, let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a driver who is still not a champion but knows he has all the tools to win races and championships. How much longer can the Monegasque devote himself to Ferrari before solely focusing on his thirst for victory? This piece is not meant to fuel any unfounded speculation but to offer a different perspective.
Winning a Formula 1 world title with the red suit, for someone who grew up with a passion for the Prancing Horse, would be a perfect script. However, failing to do so might turn into a dream that never becomes reality. And in this case, the psychological implications are not easy to manage, especially because it is not automatically true that changing teams means winning.
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Drivers like George Russell and Charles Leclerc can no longer afford the luxury of waiting for the competitiveness of the car, and if necessary, they must look for something better. The British driver himself, in his seventh year in Formula 1, had to struggle for three years with Williams before arriving at Mercedes when the team’s golden era was just over. More and more often, teams tie themselves to their drivers through multi-year contracts with unknown expiration dates.
Furthermore, these contracts are packed with bilateral termination clauses to protect the interests of both parties. In the post-race statements in Miami, Charles Leclerc was perfect in containing the adrenaline and frustration of someone who has become a spectator of the same movie, year after year, relentlessly, despite the fact that many changes have occurred in the management of the historic Italian team since 2019, his first season in red.
Perhaps the rope is starting to break, and as is well known, love is beautiful as long as it lasts. Those who love Charles Leclerc will continue to do so, even with a different color suit. Because those who truly care about the Monegasque can’t be happy seeing him suffer every single Sunday, fighting for a goal that’s never his.
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