An esteemed F1 analyst suggests that it would be wise for Charles Leclerc to consider joining Mercedes, provided there is any substance to the recent rumors.
Lately, speculations have been circulating regarding potential discussions happening behind closed doors. These discussions involve Charles Leclerc making an unprecedented move to Mercedes, replacing Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time World Champion, who would, in turn, secure a spot at Ferrari.
However, the rumors were swiftly dismissed during the thrilling Monaco Grand Prix weekend. All parties firmly denied any possibility of such a move, as both Hamilton and the esteemed Mercedes boss, Toto Wolff, disclosed that they are in the final stages of contract negotiations for renewal.
However, in the unlikely event that an opportunity does arise for Leclerc to transition to Mercedes and part ways with Ferrari, Marc Surer, a former F1 racer turned renowned broadcaster, strongly advocates that the talented Monegasque driver should seize this chance with both hands.
“He has to say yes,” Surer explained in an interview on the Formel1.de YouTube channel.
“It’s a bit messy with Ferrari at the moment. There’s no ray of hope either. If he gets a chance, he should switch teams. That would certainly do him good.”
Ferrari’s underwhelming performance fails to hinder Charles Leclerc as he pushes beyond the car’s capabilities, driving with remarkable speed and determination.
Surer points out that Ferrari has suffered significant setbacks with the departure of key engineers like David Sanchez, who made a move to McLaren, and Laurent Mekies, who joined AlphaTauri. These departures add to the turmoil after the former team boss, Mattia Binotto, resigned at the end of the 2022 season.
“Why should it get better?” Surer questioned.
“A new opportunity with Mercedes [for Leclerc] would be ideal for him. Maybe it would be a bit calmer then. Although driving next to [George] Russell, you can’t speak of calm!”
Charles Leclerc provides insights on the ongoing discussions with Ferrari following the Mercedes rumors, while Toto Wolff vehemently dismisses the unfounded speculation of Lewis Hamilton’s potential move to Ferrari.
Surer asserts that Leclerc’s prominent mistakes, such as his unfortunate crashes during qualifying in Miami and from the lead of last year’s French Grand Prix, stem from his relentless pursuit to compensate for the performance gap between Ferrari’s machinery and formidable competitors like Red Bull.
The problem is that Leclerc often drives faster than the car can,” Surer said.
“And then it’s always on the edge of a knife, always just before [losing it].”
“I think that’s what happened at Le Castellet last year too, that under pressure he just wanted to get more out of it than was possible.
“Then, at some point, the mistake came. And that’s dangerous because, at some point, he has to have a car with me where he can take it easy and still win. But he hasn’t at the moment.”
