The latest rumor doing the rounds up and down the paddock is that Mercedes has an eye on replacing Lewis Hamilton with Charles Leclerc when the Englishman’s contract expires at the end of 2023. Coincidentally, just a season after that will see the end of Leclerc’s deal with Ferrari. So, what happens now, and is this something for Ferrari fans to worry about?
Outright Odds
In short, there is no immediate danger of Leclerc leaving Ferrari so the overall answer has got to be no, but there are a few conditions that will have to be met to keep it this way. Namely, matching the Monegasque driver’s ambition of winning a World Championship. How likely that is to happen next year is down to the car Ferrari produces in the off-season but at odds of 6/1 to win the 2023 Championship, you get the distinct feeling that Leclerc will have his work cut out for him again next term.
However, fans who feel that a championship win is a realistic goal can access Betfair’s bet 10 get 30 offer when signing up. Admittedly, with Hamilton and Max Verstappen ahead of Leclerc in the latest odds, any World Championship hopes will rely on more than just a fast car to win the season.
2nd in the Driver and Team’s Championship. We did the best race possible and for that I’m happy.
— Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) November 20, 2022
Thank you for all the support during the year. We’ll work more than ever to do a further step in the right direction to fight for the championship next year ❤️ pic.twitter.com/JAgZHqElgy
One Mistake Too Many
Put another way, it will take a team effort that involves flawless decision-making from the pit wall as well as Leclerc not making any on-track mistakes. Crucially, these are two areas where both Ferrari and Leclerc let themselves down in the past season, with neither the team nor the driver free of any wrongdoing.
This is why there should be no immediate worry that a parting of ways could be in the offing and instead, the 2023 season should present a chance for all parties to have shown that they have learned from the mistakes that cost Ferrari so dearly last year.
Of course, a second-place finish in the Drivers’ Championship does to a large degree, paper over the cracks that nearly split the team in two before the summer recess. Incredibly, it was estimated that by late August, Ferrari had cost Leclerc over 100 points courtesy of incompetent strategies which is why there were loud calls for team principal Mattia Binotto’s head.
"We just know there's another mistake coming from Ferrari – and that's not good!"
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) September 4, 2022
Nico Rosberg says Ferrari need to make big changes in the personnel of the team pic.twitter.com/7EddfwmXGa
It always seemed unlikely that Binotto would be relieved of his duties halfway through the season, but there is no guarantee that he will be the man to lead the team into the 2023 campaign. Tellingly, the Swiss-born Italian engineer is said to be relaxed about his decision at Ferrari’s helm but if ever there was going to be a change in the team, it would be the team principal and not Leclerc.
The Pressure Will Also Be On Leclerc
With that said, Leclerc won’t be given amnesty at Ferrari forever, especially if the powers that be enforce sweeping changes at the team over the winter. In other words, every effort will be made to give Leclerc a championship-winning team and car, if he doesn’t hold up his end of the bargain then the 25-year-old’s future will also be up in the air.
For now, the bottom line seems to be that Leclerc and Ferrari are determined to make it work, but if either party gets it wrong next season, this will be a collaboration with an expiry date on it.
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