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Charles Leclerc's 2023 season has been off to a horrible start. After spending the 2022 season plagued with reliability issues, strategic blunders and missed wins, the new season has started on a worse note.
First, Ferrari are just not quick enough to fight for wins. To exacerbate things, Leclerc suffered a late race DNF in Bahrain followed by a grid penalty in Jeddah for exceeding his allocation of control units.
The Italian team's car launch featured a lot of hype and excitement earlier in the year, and the expectation of a title battle was on the cards. That has not happened, though, and Leclerc is staring at another season where the results may not match his aspirations.
Since he arrived at Ferrari in 2019, the team has been a dysfunctional unit. The car's in-season development has never stood out. There has been a deficit in terms of race preparedness compared to other teams. Overall, his five-year stay at Ferrari could end up without a title challenge.
After years of continued struggle and absence of title challenge, if Leclerc loses faith in the team and decides to look elsewhere, no one is going to blame him. In that situation, what are the possible options Leclerc could opt for as the next step in his quest for an F1 title?
In this feature, we will take a look at the same if Leclerc decides that his time at Ferrari is up:
Charles Leclerc's possible destinations if he leaves Ferrari
#1 Mercedes
From the outside, it might appear that Mercedes have a strong and stable driver line-up. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are producing results week in week out, and the two get along very well, but that's what looks from the outside.
You get closer, and you see a team whose lead driver is not happy with a second straight season of not fighting for the title. Hamilton has made comments about the designers not listening to him and even doubled on the stance.
After what has been a decade-old partnership, there are cracks starting to appear, especially with the delay in Hamilton's contract extension. If the Hamilton -Mercedes partnership disintegrates, it would be the perfect time for Leclerc to jump ships.
While Mercedes are going through a transition, they're not a political mess that Ferrari tend to be. Moreover, the winning record of the team in the last decade is unprecedented, and any driver should aim for a seat if it becomes available. Leclerc should jump at the opportunity to join Mercedes should an opportunity presents itself.
#2 Audi/Alfa Romeo
It's safe to say that after spending five years with Ferrari, it's clear that the team is not ready to fight for titles.
It's also clear that there are far too many elements at the team that are hindering the team's progress. Leclerc has been there and seen that happen time and again. So much so that he went to John Elkann (CEO of the holding company that has a controlling stake at Ferrari) for assurances after the DNF in Bahrain (according to reports).
Leclerc could he looking at which team is going to be the next big one in the sport. That's where the name Audi come into the picture. They're making moves in the background as their influence continues to increase at Sauber. Andreas Seidl, a former Volkswagen man who previously represented Porsche, is working hard in the background and getting things in order.
Almost a decade ago, Lewis Hamilton had bet on a somewhat upcoming project at Mercedes and turned his career around. After years of heartbreak at Ferrari, it's certainly worth a shot in terms of long-term success if Leclerc decides to take a punt on Audi/Sauber.
#3 Aston Martin
Aston Martin have shown an impressive surge to the front this season, which has left quite a few teams and fans shocked.
They're now the second fastest on the grid, but it's tough not to look at the lineup and question whether having a 40+-year-old driver in Fernando Alonso is the best thing for a team looking to establish itself in the sport in the long term.
Alonso has one more year on his contract, and if the car remains competitive, he's going to break a lot of 'oldest driver' records. Having said that, if a young Leclerc shows interest, Aston Martin could surely entertain. It would be a long-term solution for Leclerc at one of the fastest growing teams in the sport at the moment.
