Charles Leclerc turned down last-ditch offers from F1 rivals to leave Ferrari

Ferrari F1

Charles Leclerc turned down last-ditch offers from F1 rivals to leave Ferrari

Could Leclerc have ended up elsewhere?

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Friday 5 June 2026 08:57

Ferrari F1 star Charles Leclerc has revealed that he received offers from other teams to leave Ferrari.

Leclerc recently signed a new contract with the Maranello-based outfit earlier this week ahead of his home grand prix in Monaco, with the team confirming that he had signed a 'multi-year extension'.

The 28-year-old was already contracted with the team until 2029, but had exit clauses in that deal based off Ferrari's performance level following the regulations overhaul earlier this year.

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That had led to rumours that the likes of Aston Martin, Red Bull and McLaren were sniffing around his potential availability, but this new contract has put all of those rumours to bed.

Now, however, Leclerc has confirmed that he was the subject of other offers that could have seen him make a blockbuster switch to a rival.

"There were other options," Leclerc told media ahead of the Monaco weekend. "I won't say who, they can say it themselves. For me, staying in Ferrari was the most natural thing."

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Will Leclerc win a world championship with Ferrari?

Leclerc's full focus this weekend will be on trying to claim a second grand prix victory in his home town, having finally broken his Monaco curse in 2024.

Ferrari are the bookmakers' favourites to take the victory in Monaco, and it's looking set to be a battle with team-mate Lewis Hamilton for the win.

Hamilton and Leclerc are favoured to win in Monaco.

But, heading into the future, Leclerc is one day hoping to become a world champion, and he wants to prove that he is now Ferrari's best chance of winning the championship, and that he is now the number one driver at the team over Hamilton.

He did that to good effect last year, claiming seven grand prix podiums to Hamilton's zero, and finishing 86 points ahead of the seven-time champion in the drivers' championship.

But so far this year, the fight has been a lot tighter, with Hamilton dominating Leclerc last time out in Canada and moving to within three points of the Monegasque driver in the championship.

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F1 Ferrari Charles Leclerc