Charles Leclerc’s ‘first option’ to leave Ferrari could now release one driver early to sign him

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Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc could be at the centre of the Formula 1 driver market if things don’t go to plan in Maranello over the coming months.

Only 10 drivers in Formula 1 history have achieved more pole positions than Charles Leclerc, highlighting just how fast the Monegasque driver is.

However, since joining Ferrari back in 2019, he’s only finished in the top four of the drivers’ championship on three occasions.

He’s only finished within 100 points of the eventual champion once – in 2024 – and was only the top-scoring driver across a weekend three times that year.

The upcoming rule changes could give Leclerc an advantage over Lewis Hamilton in the intra-team Ferrari battle, but that won’t mean anything if the SF-26 finds itself stuck in the midfield.

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Ralf Schumacher has already heard about a ‘disaster’ at Ferrari going into 2026, but until the cars take to the track in testing and at the Australian Grand Prix, nobody knows what the pecking order looks like.

However, Leclerc is already being linked with other teams in the paddock, despite having a long-term deal at Ferrari.

That’s immediately caught the attention of Aston Martin, who appear to already be on the lookout in the driver market.

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

Aston Martin could release Lance Stroll from his contract to sign Charles Leclerc

A report from AutoMoto has shared more details about the situation Leclerc finds himself in.

Leclerc has a release clause that he can activate at the end of the season based on Ferrari’s performance.

Likewise, on the other side of the garage, Hamilton has the power to extend his deal, giving Ferrari far less power in the driver market than they would like.

It’s believed that the ‘first option’ on the table for Leclerc if he does decide to move on from Ferrari is Aston Martin.

Fernando Alonso’s deal expires at the end of the season, but it’s believed that Lance Stroll’s contract extends beyond that.

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However, Stroll has underperformed compared to his veteran teammate since they’ve been paired together, and if new team principal Adrian Newey has aspirations to win another championship, then he’ll know that he needs an upgrade on the Canadian.

It’s believed that Stroll ‘could be released earlier’ if Leclerc does become a legitimate option for the Silverstone-based team.

However, Alonso’s potential retirement opens up a far less problematic route to bringing Leclerc in so that Lawrence Stroll doesn’t need to release his son.

READ MORE: Aston Martin driver Lance Stroll’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Charles Leclerc must bide his time before deciding on his 2027 Formula 1 team

Leclerc previously instructed his manager to stop reaching out to teams, but that will quickly change if Ferrari’s 2026 car isn’t up to scratch.

Very few teams on the grid would turn down an approach from Leclerc, although Red Bull may only want Leclerc if Max Verstappen decides to leave, and McLaren are unlikely to want to break their current partnership.

However, the best thing Leclerc can do is wait, as this season’s cars are going to develop at such a rate that he could commit to one manufacturer in the summer and already be regretting his choice before the campaign ends.

Ferrari are aiming to strengthen behind the scenes to keep Leclerc happy, but whether further promises are what the Monegasque driver needs is another matter.

He’s put a lot of faith in the Scuderia, and they’re quickly running out of time to repay it.