Ferrari’s Wobble: Should Leclerc Be Eyeing the Exit? Ferrari entered 2025 with grand, operatic ambitions. Lewis Hamilton had joined the team, Charles Leclerc had recommitted, and Maranello seemed ready to relive its heyday. Unfortunately, reality appears to have missed the memo. The season has been… well, let’s just say “sub-optimal”, and the famed Scuderia currently looks less like a championship force and more like a team trying to remember where they left the instructions for their own car.
It is in this slightly chaotic context that Ralf Schumacher has politely suggested that Leclerc might want to consider other options. Or at least other employers.
A Contract That Suddenly Feels Very Theoretical
In January 2024, Charles Leclerc signed a contract extension that was meant to secure his Ferrari future. The message was clear: he was committed, Ferrari was committed, and everyone would live happily ever after, preferably atop podiums. But contracts look different when the results stop coming and the initial excitement surrounding the potential Hamilton–Leclerc partnership starts morphing into a recurring question: Is this it?
Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has so far been defined by frustration — a season in which repeated promises have fallen short of reality. So, naturally, speculation has grown. If things don’t improve, will Leclerc really remain loyal until 2029?
Ralf Schumacher’s advice: Pack a ‘Plan B’ (and maybe a ‘Plan C’)
Enter Ralf Schumacher with advice that sounds casual, but is actually a giant flashing warning sign. Speaking to France’s NextGen Auto website, he essentially said: “If I were Leclerc, I would be checking the emergency exits.”
The full quote was slightly more diplomatic, but the implication was clear. Schumacher praised Leclerc’s performances, calling him hardworking, well-liked and perfectly suited to Ferrari, but then recommended that he send his manager into the paddock with a notepad and a list of alternative team principals to approach.
According to Ralf, having a Plan B isn’t just smart, it’s essential. As he put it, “I’ve always had a plan B ready,” which, coming from a former F1 driver, is the equivalent of telling Leclerc: “Don’t be the last one to notice the ship’s taking on water.”
He even added, “I wouldn’t be fooled,” suggesting that perhaps the Monegasque driver shouldn’t wait around for a hypothetical breakthrough season that never materialises. Charles, the message is clear: pack the metaphorical suitcase, just in case.
The Big Unknown: Will He Actually Leave?
All of this naturally leads to the burning question: What now? Should Leclerc trust the process? Rewrite it? Or should he fire it into the sun?
BBC journalist Andrew Benson recently offered a reminder that adds another layer of intrigue. The exact length of Leclerc’s contract hasn’t been publicly disclosed, but it’s believed to run until 2029. However, there may be clauses allowing an early departure, which will interest anyone fond of contractual loopholes.
In F1, such clauses typically remain unnoticed until things start going badly. And when they do, they suddenly become the sport’s hottest reading material. If Ferrari can’t turn things around by 2026, Leclerc may well be tempted to check if his contract includes phrases such as ‘consistent underperformance’, ‘chronic frustration’, or ‘teammate named Lewis Hamilton doing Lewis Hamilton things’.
Looking ahead to 2026: the big decision
Ultimately, Leclerc holds the cards. If Ferrari can revive themselves in time for the 2026 regulation reset, perhaps all this noise will fade away. However, if the performance slump continues, it’s only natural that he may consider other options. Drivers of his calibre don’t wait around forever, especially when teams such as Mercedes, Red Bull and Aston Martin would gladly make room for him.
For now, Ferrari must prove that they can provide him with the machinery he deserves. Otherwise, the ‘Plan B’ discussions that Schumacher hinted at may soon become more than just friendly paddock gossip.
Verstappen speculates about a spectacular switch
NEXT ARTICLE: Christian Horner meets F1 CEO and Zak Brown in an F1 return bid
Christian Horner has been silent since his dismissal as the CEO and team principal of the Red Bull Racing team, yet rumours persist over his return to the sport. Behind Frank Williams who was the team boss for Williams for some 43 years, Horner’s night on 20 year tenure at the helm in Milton Keynes makes him the second longest serving F1 team boss in history.
He was brutally deposed from his role at Red Bull just days after the British Grand Prix by the new Austrian director at the helm of the parent company following the death of billionaire entrepreneur Didi Mateschitz.
There have been persistent rumours over where Horner might appear and he has been heavily linked in the Italian media with the poisoned chalice role as the boss of the dysfunctional Ferrari outfit. The furore surrounding the former Red Bull boss replacing Fred Vasseur that Ferrari chairman John Elkann was forced to issue a public statement at the recent US Grand Prix giving his beleaguered team boss a vote of confidence.
Horner remains linked with Alpine
Yet Christian Horner is said to be eyeing up an opportunity to return to the sport with an equity stake in a team, something Red Bull never offered and neither would Ferrari. This has led to a number of teams being forced to deny they are in talks with Horner, most specifically the Haas F1 outfit.
Alpine remain a potential home for the former Red Bull boss given Renault’s uncertain handling of the future of the Enstone based team. Further, Flavio Briatore who has been recruited by the executives in Paris to restore the fortunes if the once title winning outfit has a deep friendship with Horner and recent sales of equity in the team suggest Horner could fulfil his ambitions with Alpine.
Christian Horner had a contract with Red Bull which ran until the conclusion of 2030 which meant his payout was significant. Some reports have suggested it was as much as $100m although others claim he agreed a discounted sum to ensure his gardening leave was just nine months.
Italian publication FunoAnalisiTecnica now claims the former Red Bull boss has recently met with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali to discuss the possibility of creating a new 12th team from scratch. The last time F1 had 12 teams on the grid was in 2012 and the Concorde Agreement does provide for this scenario to be repeated…READ MORE ON THIS ARTICLE
Craig.J. Alderson is Senior Editor at TJ13, where Craig oversees newsroom operations and coordinates editorial output across the site. With a background in online sports reporting and motorsport magazine editing, he plays a key role in maintaining consistency, speed, and accuracy in TJ13’s coverage.
During race weekends, Craig acts as desk lead, directing contributors, prioritising breaking stories, and ensuring timely publication across a fast-moving news cycle.
Craig’s work focuses heavily on real-time developments in the paddock, including team updates, regulatory decisions, and emerging controversies. This role requires a detailed understanding of Formula 1’s operational flow, from practice sessions through to race-day strategy and post-race fallout.
With experience managing editorial teams, Craig ensures that TJ13 delivers structured, reliable coverage while maintaining the site’s distinctive voice.
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