“I Would Go for Charles”: Despite Disturbing “Issues” in His Head, Leclerc Picked as the Perfect Replacement for Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes

If there’s one word that best describes what Charles Leclerc’s time at Ferrari has been like, it would be “challenging.” He joined the Scuderia in 2019 and quickly proved his talent by going toe-to-toe with his teammate Sebastian Vettel and pipping him for P4 in the Drivers’ Championship. Since that good debut season, it’s only been a roller coaster, with seasons like 2020, which make it difficult to believe Ferrari is the most successful constructor, and seasons like 2022, during which some of its former glory shone through.

Unfortunately, 2023 is another one of those seasons, like 2020. Ferrari is nowhere close to the front of the field, and with its missed opportunities and questionable strategies, many fans think Leclerc’s generational talent is being wasted. It begs the question: How long will Charles wait for Ferrari to find itself? And whether he thinks so or not, veteran F1 journalist Peter Windsor believes he knows where the Monegasque will shine.

Could Charles Leclerc fit in at Mercedes?

The pressure of being touted as a generational talent, a driver with championship potential, comes with its fair share of drawbacks. It’s not easy for a driver when they know they have the potential but not the car to win. And sadly, that’s the case with Charles Leclerc. His time at Ferrari hasn’t been smooth, and that has played with his head, making him look like a below-average driver. But that’s not really the case.

In a YouTube live stream after the British GP, a viewer asked Peter Windsor who he would sign to replace Lewis Hamilton if he were Toto—Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, or Charles Leclerc. He explained how he thought Lando and Oscar would be great options because they’re good drivers. He even mentioned with Norris and Russell in Mercedes, “you’ll get a few fireworks going on there.” But for him, Charles Leclerc would be the right choice.

He said, “I think Charles is such an interesting driver, in such an interesting time of his career because he’s very good, but he’s not looking very good. He’s obviously got issues going on in his head to do with all the stuff that comes with the dramas at Ferrari and everywhere else. For me, the challenge would be to get the best from Charles, and I would love to do that.”

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For the sake of the interesting challenge managing Leclerc would prove to be, Windsor chose him to replace Hamilton at Mercedes. And considering the steps Mercedes has taken to get closer to Red Bull this season—with Ferrari still further back—Charles wouldn’t mind the switch either.

Ferrari disappointed Charles Leclerc at the British GP

After qualifying in P4 and ahead of his teammate, Carlos Sainz, in P5, the Monegasque hoped to fight his way to at least the podium at Silverstone. But with a conservative strategy and a little of bad luck with the timing of the Safety Car, Leclerc finished an underwhelming P9 at the end of the race.

While talking to the media post-race, he said, as quoted by f1.com, “We lacked pace today and it was a tough race. We stopped early and lost some positions as I struggled to get a good rhythm on the Hards. Then we stopped again, for a new set of Mediums, and I made up a couple of positions at the restart, but then got stuck in a DRS train behind Alex [Albon]. We have some things to review, but our main focus will be to work on our race trim.”

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It’s clear Ferrari has work to do, but will Charles Leclerc wait around long enough for things to get better, or is a move to Mercedes actually in the cards?