When Charles Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019, he was looked at as a gem. A future Formula 1 world champion in the making managed to make himself the center of Ferrari, essentially pushing Sebastian Vettel out of the team.
While the 27-year-old is now in his seventh season with the team, things have not worked out as well as initially hoped. Ferrari have largely been unable to build a championship-winning car and Leclerc has struggled to maintain consistency.
However, there is one crucial aspect of Leclerc’s tenure that has stayed consistent. Strategy at Ferrari has been rather poor from year to year and has cost their drivers the chance of podium finishes and wins. The Monegasque needs a team to direct him in the right direction throughout a race, and there is one team on the grid that can give him that.
Mercedes may come calling Leclerc eventually
It may be a few more years before Charles Leclerc bails on Ferrari, and the needs of Mercedes may look different. It was just a few years ago that the 27-year-old sternly turned down a potential move to the Silver Arrows. Things can easily turn out differently down the road if Ferrari make no changes.
A big reason why Mercedes found success from both of their drivers was not just due to a fast car, but having consistently good strategies that rarely compromised their drivers. Additionally, they have the willingness to listen to their drivers. After all, they are in the best position to properly assess track conditions.
Had Leclerc been driving for Mercedes in the Canadian Grand Prix, chances are they would have let him go for Plan C, which was a one-stop strategy. This one example speaks to the larger defining difference between Mercedes and Ferrari.
As for the odds of Leclerc moving to Mercedes, it appears to be a longshot at the moment. It appears that George Russell will commit his future to Mercedes, and the team remain all-in on Kimi Antonelli as well. It may be a very long time before there is a vacancy at Mercedes, and it may cause Leclerc to look elsewhere once he chooses to depart Ferrari.