Charles Leclerc's exit clause could mean early freedom from his current Ferrari contract

Charles Leclerc's exit clause could mean early freedom from his current Ferrari contract tenure. If the Monegasque does not score a certain number of points by August, he can technically choose to leave the Scuderia team prematurely.

Leclerc's 2023 campaign is off to a dismal start, with the driver having suffered two DNFs in the first three opening races of the year. The Scuderia driver was touted to be a championship favorite again in 2023, after leading the 2022 drivers' championship for nearly half the year.

Ferrari's 2023 challenger, the SF-23, was meant to build on its predecessor's success and finally take the trophy back to Maranello. However, Charles Leclerc's current car is perhaps worse off than last year's iteration given its high tire degradation and draggy nature.

Despite being locked in until the end of 2024, Red Bull's Helmut Marko claims that Leclerc could use his exit clause to leave Ferrari at the end of the year if he fails to score a certain number of points. Marko claims that this exact clause enabled Sebastian Vettel to leave Red Bull and join Ferrari in 2015.

If Charles Leclerc fails to obtain a specific number of points, he may be able to leave in September. However, this can happen even if Ferrari does not rank among the top four teams in the constructors' standings.

---

Charles Leclerc to potentially replace Lewis Hamilton

Prominent F1 journalist Leo Turrini has stated that it is widely known that Charles Leclerc is eyeing the opportunity to replace Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. Turrini has reported that Leclerc has even gone so far as to ask for details about Hamilton's contract with the team.

Reports suggest that both Leclerc and Hamilton are considering their options for the future, with Red Bull currently dominating the 2023 season. Some experts have suggested a direct swap between the two teams, with Leclerc moving to Mercedes and Hamilton joining Ferrari. This move has been touted by Eddie Jordan as the necessary shake-up that the teams need.

Turrini has claimed that Leclerc has been in talks with Mercedes, while Ferrari's president, John Elkann, has previously sought information about Hamilton's contract. However, Turrini believes that Hamilton is unlikely to facilitate Leclerc's move unless he decides to retire.

Turrini wrote about Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc:

“That Leclerc is talking to Mercedes is the open secret. Everyone knows it, from the remote garage in Maranello to the Indian Ocean. In his unfinished career, he showed flashes of pure class. He is the first to know that time is passing."

"Russell is very, very strong. But if Hamilton were to stop, whoever pays in Stuttgart might not accept another Bottas alongside a driver who is not yet a world champion."

It will be interesting to follow Leclerc and Hamilton's contract progress over the course of the season.