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Aston Martin will want to put the 2025 Formula 1 season behind them quickly, and the upcoming regulation changes could be make-or-break for Lawrence Stroll’s project.
The amount of money Lawrence Stroll has invested in Aston Martin is hard to ignore, especially when you take into account how they underperformed last season.
Fernando Alonso dragged all of the performance that he could out of the AMR25, and it sums up Lance Stroll’s season that he went on an eight-race pointless run before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
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Both drivers are out of contract at the end of 2026, and Aston Martin are already being linked with several high-profile racers on the grid.
Max Verstappen would be Aston Martin’s number one target, given he is a level above all of his peers in the paddock.
However, Ted Kravitz believes that if Charles Leclerc’s frustrations with Ferrari increase and he’s looking for an alternative team in the sport, then Aston Martin might be a good bet.
READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend
Ted Kravitz gives his verdict on Charles Leclerc to Aston Martin
Kravitz was speaking about what’s happening at Ferrari on The F1 Show and said: “Let’s not forget about Charles Leclerc.
“Something else that happened this year was that his manager, Nicolas Todt, said just after the summer break, started talking about, well, it’s time for Charles to be in a car that’s worthy of the championship and potentially looking elsewhere.
“Even though I think he signed for Ferrari to the end of 2028. So it could be Leclerc leaving Ferrari before [Lewis] Hamilton does.
Karun Chandhok responded: “He’s at his peak, isn’t he? He’s at an age and a time of his career where he’s now got the experience. He’s always had the speed.
“And he’s in that category with a George Russell, a Lando Norris, and an Oscar Piastri.
“That next rung just below Max Verstappen, who could all win the world championship in the right car if they had the opportunity.”
How many Grand Prix wins would Charles Leclerc have if he drove for McLaren in the ground-effect era?
Kravitz continued: “He’s been brilliant this year, hasn’t he?
“I mean, we’ll do our rankings a bit later, but I think he’s made my top five.
“He’s been great. He’s ready to win a championship like Russell. Where is he going to go?
“Potentially, maybe if Aston Martin with a Newey car and a Honda engine in a couple of years does do well and doesn’t get Verstappen, then I would put Leclerc in there.”
READ MORE: All to know about Aston Martin F1 Team from team principal to lineage
Charles Leclerc told he’s the only driver who could compete with Max Verstappen
Leclerc has now spent seven seasons with Ferrari, but only achieved a Grand Prix victory during three of those campaigns.
The 2025 season saw Leclerc comfortably beat Lewis Hamilton in the championship, which shouldn’t come as a complete surprise considering how he’s fared against previous world champions when they’ve been his teammate.
It doesn’t appear as though Leclerc is looking to force an immediate exit from Ferrari, but he’s been linked with plenty of their rivals over the past few months.
Leclerc has been talked about as a potential option for McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Aston Martin as people continue to doubt whether Ferrari will ever build another championship-winning car.
The Monegasque driver might be wasting the prime years of his racing career working for Ferrari, but if they nail the 2026 regulation changes, then people will quickly put those worries behind them.
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