The Monegasque driver has been with Ferrari since the 2019 Formula 1 season, when he replaced Kimi Raikkonen and partnered with Sebastian Vettel. Charles Leclerc was deemed the team’s rising star after a solid rookie season with Sauber in 2018.
There have been expectations of a world championship for Leclerc since his early Ferrari days. However, one thing or another has always stood in his way of even having a fighting chance. Despite the struggles that have frustrated the 28-year-old, his faith still rests in the Maranello-based team.
Leclerc signed another extension with Ferrari a few weeks ago, keeping him with the team until at least the 2029 season. The announcement came just two years after he signed a long-term extension with the team, despite the seemingly never-ending rumors of a move to a different team.
This extension will come back to haunt Leclerc
The announcement was somewhat of a shock, given the fact that serious rumors of Leclerc leaving Ferrari heated up in the second half of 2025. The team have failed to produce a championship-winning car for several years now, so it was believed that he would at least look elsewhere to achieve his ultimate goal.
The start of the 2026 season has been fantastic for Ferrari, as it's the most competitive they have been in many years. One would think this presents Leclerc with the best opportunity of his career. However, bad luck and brilliance from Lewis Hamilton have overshadowed his desires.
Despite that, Leclerc's love for Ferrari is still too strong for him to give up on the team that has never given up on him. Unfortunately, all of those years of struggling are catching up to him.
Kimi Antonelli, having achieved his first career win just a few months ago, needs only a few more wins to match Leclerc’s career Formula 1 win total. Hamilton is on his way to becoming a serious contender for the title, while Leclerc already sits 40 points behind him. At every point of Leclerc’s career, there has always been another team or driver who has simply been better.
Signing yet another extension has put him into a dangerous area where he is risking his chance of ever winning a world championship. Whether or not there are clauses in his contract to let him depart is still unknown, but the hope is that he realizes what he is doing to his career before it is too late.
Add us as a preferred source on Google