Charles Leclerc: ‘I've never considered leaving Ferrari’

Upon signing a new deal with the Scuderia, Leclerc says he’s never really looked at alternatives in the paddock

Charles Leclerc says he’s never considered leaving the Ferrari Formula 1 team, having signed a new multi-year deal with the outfit.

A Ferrari protege since 2016, having graduated to the Italian F1 squad in 2019, Leclerc has remained faithful ever since, competing in 155 grands prix with 27 pole positions and eight victories. The new contract will likely keep him tied to Maranello until 2028 at the earliest.

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The Monegasque, however, has never been provided with genuine title-contending machinery, and has been winless since the 2024 United States Grand Prix, although he lies third in the 2026 standings so far.

Manager Nicolas Todt presumably has received interest from other top teams regarding Leclerc, so Motorsport asked him in an exclusive interview if he’d ever felt the need to consider alternatives to Ferrari.

“I’ve never really considered alternatives,” the 28-year-old replied. “There have certainly been conversations, because after 10 years in this paddock you build relationships that go beyond the professional sphere. Sometimes there are discussions that I consider natural, but I can confirm that those matters concern Nicolas much more than me.

“As far as I’m concerned – and I want to emphasize this – what I wanted to do has always been very clear.”

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Alessio Morgese / NurPhoto via Getty Images

So Leclerc is pledging his loyalty to Ferrari yet again, as he still believes in team principal Fred Vasseur’s plan for the Scuderia.

“The main factor is believing in the project,” he insisted. “As for the love I have for this team, that’s no longer something I need to question, so from that point of view I didn’t have to think much.

“Then there’s Fred: we have a unique relationship, and I have great confidence that he’s the right person to bring Ferrari back to the top.” Leclerc won the GP3 and F2 titles with Vasseur’s ART squad and made his F1 debut with the Sauber outfit, which was led by the Frenchman at the time.

“There are also the signs we’ve seen this year," added Leclerc. "We’re behind Mercedes, that’s true, but I see a lot of innovation. At Maranello there’s a group pushing hard, trying to think differently from the past, even outside the box. We’ve seen new solutions on the car, and that gave me even more confidence, convincing me that this is the team I want to be with.

“So, beyond my love for Ferrari – which is obvious – there was also a rational evaluation. Just as there has been with every contract renewal.”

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Photo by: Bryn Lennon / Formula 1 via Getty Images

So, for Leclerc, the lack of a world title so far is counterbalanced by his gratitude towards the team which has always believed in him.

“Of course I’d like to have more victories, and I’d like to have won a world championship,” he admitted. “Those are things I still don’t have.

“But I’ve had the chance to race for the team that always made me dream. And I also think about loyalty towards the people who helped me at a crucial moment in my career, allowing me to get where I am today. If Ferrari hadn’t believed in me, I don’t know if I’d be here now. That’s very important to me.

“Sure, I’d like more success on my resume, but I think everyone always wants something more, even when they’ve already won a lot. It’s true that victories and a world title are what I’m missing and what I want to achieve. I hope it happens soon.”