Ferrari on alert: F1 teams already circling Leclerc, says insider

When veteran Ferrari insider Leo Turrini starts tapping his keyboard, the Scuderia’s fans tend to stop and listen.

And his latest revelation – that teams are already probing Charles Leclerc’s long-time manager Nicolas Todt about the Monegasque’s future – will likely send more through an already restless paddock.

Leclerc’s loyalty to Ferrari remains one of the sport’s great modern romances, but it’s also becoming one of its great tests. Six seasons into his tenure with the House of Maranello, he is still waiting for the machinery to match his talent.

And with another underwhelming campaign almost behind him and the 2026 regulations looming, rival teams sense an opportunity.

Turrini’s Insight

In his latest column, Turrini – whose credibility has been validated over the years – claimed that Charles Leclerc is a man in strong demand, with Todt regularly taking calls from multiple parties, with one in particular becoming very insistent

“It comes as no surprise that Nicolas Todt has been repeatedly contacted by Aston Martin executives in recent times. And a good agent has a duty, not just a right, to evaluate every option in the interests of his client,” the Italian blogger wrote.

Turrini makes the case that Aston Martin’s highly anticipated 2026 package – Adrian Newey’s design philosophy, Honda engines, and a long-term vision beyond Fernando Alonso – could prove a redoubtable force to be reckoned with.

“Aston Martin will have Newey’s car and Honda’s engine from 2026, and again in 2027, because we are talking about that deadline, Fernando Alonso will be closer to fifty than forty.”

Turrini suggests the entire market is coiled in anticipation.

“All this to say that we need to carefully observe the movements (behind the scenes) of those who represent the top drivers. At present, we are in the phase that was once called ‘surplace’ in track cycling.

Read also:

• Button elaborates on Elkann critique: ‘Just go have a chat’

“Everyone is standing still on their pedals, but in reality, they are ready to sprint. Precisely for 2027. At the centre of the domino effect is Max Verstappen. What will the almost former world champion do?”

And then he lands the pointed question that will echo through Maranello’s corridors until the 2026 car hits the track.

“I have just written about Leclerc and the interest he arouses. If the Rossa doesn’t work out in 2026, who would bet on Charles staying at Maranello?” he said.

Todt expects a market explosion

Turrini’s claims gain extra weight when paired with Nicolas Todt’s own recent comments. Speaking in Singapore last month , the Frenchman predicted a seismic driver market reshuffle once teams reveal their pace under the new rules.

“A lot of drivers are waiting to see how well each team will have worked, and how good their car will be to say ‘I want to stay in my team’ or ‘I want to go to another team because they are doing a better job,’” Todt told The Straits Times.

In other words: no one is committing early to anything – especially not the biggest names.

Todt unsurprisingly put Leclerc at the heart of that future storm.

“He is one of the best talents of his generation, with Max and a few others,” he said, before offering a reminder that even the greats need the right tools.

“He’s not a baby anymore because he has done a lot of seasons with Ferrari and of course, I think that we still need to have a winning car.”

Between Turrini’s whispers and Todt’s warnings, the message is unmistakable: 2026 will decide far more than a championship. It may decide where Charles Leclerc – and perhaps Max Verstappen – race for the rest of their prime.

Ferrari insists its favourite isn’t going anywhere. But if the next car misses the mark, the questions won’t just get louder – the offers will, too.

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via X and Facebook