Fred Vasseur sets his ‘primary goal’ as fears rise within Ferrari that Charles Leclerc will leave

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Charles Leclerc holds the longest contract on the 2026 F1 grid, with the Monegasque locked down at Ferrari through 2029, yet his future in red is currently very uncertain.

The Maranello natives moved in January 2024 to sign Leclerc to a new long-term contract as his previous deal was due to expire that year. But the 28-year-old has since begun to rethink his commitment to the pride of Italy due to their persistent plight since he put pen to paper.

Leclerc endured his fourth winless season across his seven years as a Ferrari driver in 2025, following his earlier winless campaigns in 2020, 2021 and 2023. The 2026 season might act as a turning point with F1’s new regulations, but Leclerc also sees it as a make-or-break year.

Given the overhaul of the rulebook under F1’s 2026 regulations, Leclerc stated in December that the year ahead is “now or never” for Ferrari to show what they are capable of. How the Scuderia adapt to the latest regulations will also be crucial for determining Leclerc’s future.

True or false? Charles Leclerc will not win an F1 title with Ferrari.

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Fred Vasseur wants Charles Leclerc to sign a new long-term Ferrari contract

It is said that Leclerc can trigger a release clause in his Ferrari contract in 2026 and leave the pride of Italy for free. The 28-year-old secured the right to terminate his deal if the Scuderia fail to give him a competitive car while negotiating his contract locking him in through 2029.

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

Also, the Mirror now reports that fears are rife within Ferrari that Leclerc could seek a move to a rival team if they are not competitive under the 2026 F1 regulations. So, team principal Fred Vasseur is now determined to restore Leclerc’s confidence in what Ferrari can achieve.

Rebuilding Leclerc’s confidence in Ferrari to the point that the eight-time Grand Prix winner agrees to sign a new long-term contract is Vasseur’s ‘primary goal’. Vasseur is loath to leave the Maranello outfit at risk of seeing Leclerc walk away with three years left on his contract.

Charles Leclerc will give Ferrari a chance to prove themselves, but he will not wait forever

How many Grand Prix wins would Charles Leclerc have if he drove for McLaren in the ground-effect era?

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Leclerc is prepared to give Ferrari the chance to prove they can compete for a title under the new regulations. But while Leclerc has told his manager not to speak with any rival F1 teams for now, amid interest from elsewhere in the F1 paddock, he will not wait forever for Ferrari.

The Monegasque is embedded in the Ferrari family, having joined their driver academy back in 2016 before debuting in F1 with Sauber in 2018 and then joining the Scuderia in 2019. Yet Leclerc’s desire to fight for the F1 drivers’ championship could see him leave Ferrari one day.

McLaren are especially interested in signing Leclerc should Oscar Piastri strive to leave them at the end of 2026. Yet the Woking crew would likely face competition, as Adrian Newey has boosted Aston Martin’s chances of signing Leclerc after becoming their latest team principal.

Aston Martin could be in the market for a new driver in 2026 as Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are both out of contract at the end of this year. Likewise, Red Bull would target Leclerc if Max Verstappen were to leave, as the Dutchman can also break his contract through 2028.