Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari. 16.03.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 2, Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Preparation Day.
Red Bull Motorsport Advisor Helmut Marko suspects that Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari contract will retain performance clauses that could facilitate an early exit.
Leclerc signed the longest Ferrari contract in history at the end of an impressive debut campaign with the team in 2019 that would tie him down until the end of 2024.
However, Ferrari’s arduous start to the new season has prompted speculation that Leclerc might elect to begin looking at options away from the Italian outfit.
Both by his own admission and statistically, the Monegasque driver has endured his worst opening to a season since he switched to Ferrari, scoring only six points in the first three races.
Marko has highlighted how most drivers’ contracts contain clauses that will enable an early exit if certain performance criteria haven’t been met by the time of the summer break, and the Austrian talent spotter is confident Leclerc’s deal will include terms that can be exercised.
Red Bull has dealt with previous experience of this, with Leclerc’s ex-team-mate Sebastian Vettel being poached by Ferrari in the midst of the then-defending four-time World Champion sustaining a torrid 2014 season with the Milton-Keynes team.
“It is common for the driver to score a minimum number of points more or less quickly after the summer break,” Marko clarified to Sport BILD.
“If this number of points is not reached, both parties are free to terminate the contract: this clause allowed Sebastian Vettel to join Ferrari in 2015.”
Marko has also weighed in on the situation on the other side of the garage involving former Red Bull driver and current Ferrari incumbent Carlos Sainz, who – like Leclerc – possesses a contract with the Maranello squad through the end of 2024.
The Spanish driver has recently been linked with a switch to Audi for when the German automotive giant enters into F1 in 2026.
“Why should Ferrari part ways with Carlos [Sainz]? It does not mean anything. Carlos is doing a good job. Ferrari has other problems than thinking about Sainz,” he said via Sport1.
(L to R): Charles Leclerc (MON) Ferrari and team mate Carlos Sainz Jr (ESP) Ferrari. 04.03.2023. Formula 1 World Championship, Rd 1, Bahrain Grand Prix, Sakhir, Bahrain, Qualifying Day.
Mercedes has repeatedly been touted as the most likely potential destination if Leclerc was to look beyond the Scuderia and the German marque’s chief Toto Wolff has previously spoken highly of him.
Italian journalist Leo Turrini, who has close ties to Ferrari, asserts that it’s an open secret within the F1 world that Leclerc has already been having discussions with Mercedes.
However, publicly the Monegasque native has denied any speculation linking him to a move and has asserted his sole focus is helping Ferrari to recover from a difficult start to 2023.
The five-time F1 race winner arrives in Baku this weekend aiming to put behind a nightmare weekend in Australia.
Having been frustrated to only qualify seventh on a circuit he dominated proceedings at last year, the Ferrari star’s race lasted only three corners as contact with Lance Stroll’s Aston Martin sent him spinning backwards into the gravel.
The pointless showing – his second in three races after an engine failure put him out of the season-opener in Bahrain from a podium position – has left Leclerc routed to ninth in the Drivers’ standings on six points – already 60 points behind Max Verstappen at the top.
Even when Leclerc managed to reach the chequered flag in Saudi Arabia his weekend had been compromised by having to take a 10-place grid drop for exceeding power unit elements.
Leclerc has been on pole for the last two Azerbaijan Grands Prix but has been unable to convert either lead starting spot, retiring from the front with an engine failure in last year’s running.
Keyword: Marko suspects performance exit clause in Leclerc’s Ferrari contract