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Charles Leclerc's latest crash at Circuit Paul Ricard could have possibly put him out of contention for this season's title battle. The Ferrari driver's 2022 F1 season, which started on a positive note when he won two of the first three races, has turned into a disaster, it started with a silly error in Imola, followed by a PU failure in Spain, a strategic disaster in Monaco, followed by another PU failure in Baku, and then another strategic disaster in Silverstone.
Ultimately, Leclerc's season hit rock bottom at the 2022 F1 French GP where he crashed out while leading the race and has now fallen behind by 63 points in the drivers' championship. The two mistakes at France and Imola are not a good sign but overall, the 2022 F1 season's failed championship campaign will ultimately be put down to Ferrari getting trounced by a team in Red Bull that is better in so many areas.
There's decisiveness with Red Bull that Ferrari lacks, there's preparedness for every possibility in the race that the latter does not have, and finally, there's championship-winning experience under pressure that sets the Austrian outfit apart. Even when it comes to car performance, there's not much to choose from. Overall, Ferrari has pulled Charles Leclerc down far too many times this season and is just not the team that can fight for the title.
There are tell-tale signs of tension between the team and the driver. There is a sense of growing frustration as well, which is evident when Leclerc talks about the situation in the championship. There is a growing belief that Ferrari is not ready to be a championship contending team and this could prompt him to look for greener pastures to ensure success in his career.
Ferrari has not won a championship since 2008 despite having a 2-time and a 4-time world champion in its ranks over the last decade. In a way, Ferrari needs a championship to keep up its "iconic" brand image and will do everything in its power to keep Leclerc, but that's what exit clauses are there for!
If Charles Leclerc wants to leave, nobody can stop him. So, what could be the possible options if he decides to move on from Ferrari in the future? Let's find out!
Possible destinations for Charles Leclerc if he leaves Ferrari
#1 Mercedes
Mercedes has its seats already booked for next season, but when we are looking at future moves for Charles Leclerc, we are not aiming for an immediate switch. Rather, we are trying to position the young driver for future success in the best way possible.
Lewis Hamilton's contract ends next season and there is a very high probability that he could retire from the sport. If that happens, it's fair to say that Mercedes does not have a replacement in place for him. Stoffel Vandoorne and Nyck De Vries, Mercedes' two drivers in Formula E, may be F1 worthy, but their worthiness of a seat in the team is questionable. It's hard to see evidence of them performing at a high level.
If Charles Leclerc keeps himself available, it would make for a very interesting choice for Mercedes. Sure, George Russell has been fantastic, but the last few races have shown that he's still raw as Hamilton has found his groove and started to assert himself in the partnership. Leclerc as Hamilton's replacement will give Mercedes two fast and ambitious drivers and will help the German team cover all bases.
#2 Aston Martin
On the face of it, Aston Martin has been an embarrassment so far this season. The car is just not good enough when you see the kind of resources that Lawrence Stroll has been investing. If you look at it carefully, however, there are quite a few big names that have joined the team in the last year. To add to that, Stroll Sr. has been upgrading the facilities at Enstone by sparing no expense.
By the looks of it, the Canadian billionaire knows it's not a sprint, it's a marathon in F1, and is trying to develop the next big team in F1 bit by bit. And finally, not to forget, the latest round of funding from the Saudi government will prove to be a game-changer for the Silverstone-based outfit.
Maybe not next year, but shortly, Aston Martin could just be the team that shows the kind of rise that Mercedes had in 2014. At just 24 years of age, this might just be the time for Charles Leclerc to give himself a chance at creating an entire team around him. If the Ferrari dream does not look promising then Aston Martin could just be the team he moves to.
#3 The new Audi-works team
Every prominent F1 figure will keep a close eye on the next few steps taken by the Volkswagen group. The Red Bull-Porsche deal is almost done, but Audi is yet to find its path into the sport. Teams like Williams and Alfa Romeo are the ones that are being targeted by Audi and it remains to be seen which one of the two gets the final nod.
As a driver hoping to succeed in F1, Audi is the kind of brand that should interest Charles Leclerc. The prestigious brand does not enter any motorsports category just to compete, rather it enters to win, and with that intent, Leclerc becomes a favorable choice if he's willing to move.
It's been almost a decade since Lewis Hamilton took the gamble of moving to Mercedes from McLaren. That should work as motivation for Charles Leclerc as he looks out for possible future destinations in his career.
