Charles Leclerc now considering ‘intriguing’ F1 driver swap if he chooses to leave Ferrari in 2027

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Charles Leclerc is considering his options as he starts to wonder whether he will ever drive a potentially championship-winning car at Ferrari.

Ferrari have had an underwhelming 2025 F1 season, and look set to go through an entire campaign without winning a Grand Prix.

Charles Leclerc won three races last year on his way to finishing third in the drivers’ championship.

This season, Leclerc is getting increasingly frustrated, having finished on the podium five times, but never looking like he was in contention to stand on the top step of the rostrum.

The Hungarian Grand Prix looked like the perfect opportunity for Leclerc to finally taste victory in 2025, until a late pit stop saw his pace drop off a cliff, and he didn’t even finish in the top three.

Leclerc has recently been linked with Mercedes as his manager, Nicolas Todt, starts to explore his other options in the paddock.

Now, another option has emerged that could see another top driver in the paddock swap seats with him and put his faith in Ferrari.

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

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc considering 2027 driver swap with McLaren’s Oscar Piastri

A report from F1 Insider has shared more details about the driver market going into next season.

McLaren are trying to work out how to manage the relationship between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris after clinching the constructors’ championship.

Piastri was left furious with Norris after the pair made contact at the Singapore Grand Prix, and McLaren failed to intervene after the Australian was told to give a position back to his teammate at Monza when he had a slow pit stop.

This has led to suggestions that Piastri is exploring a move to Ferrari after the 2026 campaign, when he’ll have a better idea of which teams have prepared for the upcoming regulation changes best.

The report suggests that Leclerc is ‘considering leaving voluntarily’ if Ferrari’s prospects don’t improve, but is currently Mercedes’ ‘Plan B’ if they can’t sign Max Verstappen.

There’s a suggestion that Fred Vasseur’s position is once again under threat after recently signing a new contract, and losing Leclerc would only heighten frustration among the tifosi.

It’s believed that a ‘seat swap’ between Leclerc and Piastri is ‘conceivable’ at this stage, while Red Bull are still keeping tabs on the Australian due to Mark Webber’s connections with the team.

It’s also believed that some Ferrari engineers have ‘taken offence’ to Leclerc’s public anger with the SF-25, and if his relationship with the team is starting to become strained, then switching manufacturers might be the best solution.

Ferrari have put Gabriel Bortoleto on their wishlist in case Leclerc or Lewis Hamilton decide to leave at the end of next year.

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Who would be getting the better deal if Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri switched teams?

Piastri could become a Formula 1 champion at the end of this campaign after just three seasons in the sport.

He’s now overtaken Leclerc in the list of drivers with the most Grand Prix wins, which will be particularly frustrating for the Monegasque driver.

McLaren could benefit from using Mercedes’ power unit during the next era of Formula 1, and given the way Andrea Stella has led the team, Leclerc might be benefiting more from a swap than Piastri.

However, Piastri’s arrival at Ferrari could coincide with Hamilton also retiring, and the idea that he could be the leader at the sport’s most iconic team would definitely be appealing.

There’s no guarantee that Ferrari will be competitive based on this season, but it all comes down to how desperate Piastri is to escape McLaren over the next 12 months.