Aston Martin have ‘promised’ their sponsors one thing amid links with Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc

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Aston Martin might soon play an active role in the driver market amid the uncertainty regarding Fernando Alonso’s Formula 1 future, and Charles Leclerc could be an option.

The Silverstone outfit will embark on a big year next season after billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll invested a fortune to get Aston Martin prepared for the 2026 F1 regulations. Stroll has also now made design guru Adrian Newey the latest Aston Martin team principal from 2026.

Yet Aston Martin’s driver line-up beyond 2026 will also be on Stroll and Newey’s minds, with Alonso and Lance Stroll both set to be out of contract at the end of next year. Alonso admits he could retire from F1 in 2026 should Aston Martin deliver a competitive car next year, too.

How Aston Martin kick off the 2026 F1 season will also, ultimately, determine the calibre of driver they may potentially target to replace Alonso and/or Stroll for 2027. Aston Martin will become the works Honda engine team in 2026, after the Japanese constructor left Red Bull.

Aston Martin have ‘promised’ their sponsors a ‘top driver’ in 2027 amid links to Charles Leclerc

Aston Martin have ‘promised’ their sponsors that they will have at least one ‘top driver’ for 2027, regardless of how their efforts develop in 2026, though. That is according to Corriere Della Sera, which reports that Charles Leclerc of Ferrari is one star on Aston Martin’s radar.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Finish the sentence: In 2027, Charles Leclerc will be driving for _____

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Newey is trying to revolutionise Aston Martin to fulfil Lawrence Stroll’s ambitions, and also justify the money that the Canadian has invested in the Silverstone outfit. Having a top-tier driver is vital for Aston Martin’s project, and Leclerc’s future with Ferrari is far from certain.

Leclerc views 2026 as a “now or never” year for Ferrari, having failed to win a Grand Prix in 2025 and having finished the year just fourth in the F1 constructors’ standings. If Ferrari do not have a competitive car in 2026, it is even considered ‘inevitable’ that Leclerc will leave.

The 28-year-old strengthened his reputation through the 2025 season by beating teammate Lewis Hamilton by a magnitude that even he did not imagine at the start of the year. Yet the Monegasque could only achieve fifth place in the F1 drivers’ championship with 242 points.

The 2026 F1 regulations could decide Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari future and Aston Martin’s chances

Leclerc wants to “silence” the rumours about a move to Aston Martin in 2027, but the noise remains present after Ferrari’s failures throughout 2025. The Scuderia were the only one of F1’s top four teams to fail to win at least one Grand Prix and Leclerc secured their only pole.

READ MORE: All you need to know about Aston Martin F1 team principal Adrian Newey

Leclerc took pole for the Hungarian Grand Prix this August when he capitalised on the cooler conditions in Q3 to beat McLaren’s Oscar Piastri by 0.026 seconds. But Ferrari compromised Leclerc’s Hungarian GP to protect his skid plank, and he fell from the lead to finishing fourth.

The 2026 F1 regulations will hand Ferrari the chance to reset, with new engine, chassis, aero and tyre rules on the horizon. Yet Aston Martin signing Leclerc for 2027 is more realistic with Newey in charge, as the Monegasque can break out of his contract for Ferrari through 2029.

Aston Martin are unlikely to be the only F1 team to show an interest in signing Leclerc, were he to decide to leave Ferrari at the end of 2026. Leclerc’s manager has spoken with Red Bull, as Nicolas Todt wants to understand what options may be on offer if Ferrari struggle in 2026.