P1 with Matt and Tommy - Our honest thoughts on Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari contract extension

Episode Date: June 3, 2026

The copium dream continues at Ferrari, because Charles Leclerc has agreed to a new long-term contract! We wonder why Charles has committed to the team that promises so much - but delivers a bit less - as well as what his alternative options might have been. Plus, will he ever win the world title he probably deserves?Our brand new live show 'Super Podding' is coming to the UK and Amsterdam this autumn! Get your tickets here: http:/tix.to/p1liveSign up to our Patreon for just $5 a month! You'll get access to every P1 episode ad-free, extended versions of every 2026 race review, early access to tickets & merch, and access to our Discord server where you can chat with us and other F1 fans! Click here to sign up now: http://patreon.com/mattp1tommyFollow us on socials! You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, Twitch, YouTube and TikTokP1 with Matt and Tommy is the world's biggest F1 podcast. Subscribe for new podcasts around every single race throughout the 2026 Formula 1 season! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hello everybody and welcome back to the V1 podcast with Matt and Tommy emergency podcast. Something we've not done for a little while. And it's always exciting when you, it's like, Tommy, quick. We need to record something because there's actually been news and it's about my boy, Charles LeCler. Why can't there be news when there's a eight-week break, by the way? I know. Well, they like to time it around certain races, don't they?

And it's all very, you know, managed. and scheduled. But it's fine. We like news. And this one, we will discuss whether we like it or not. It's, of course, Charler-de-deciding to stay at Ferrari.

There's no years that are attached to this. I couldn't find a single contract that Charle-Clau has signed where it actually said until X year. It's always multi-year, which I don't mind. I don't mind a multi-year for Charlotte-Clau. I mean he stays in Formula One

where he belongs. So yes, the idea, the understanding, the rumours, whatever you want to call it, was that he already had a contract until 2029, maybe 2028. Either or years from where we are right now, it's 2026. But he's like another one, another multi-year deal, thank you very much. I will never leave Ferrari. And interesting, we joke. And your joke has kind of been about Charlotte Clareb staying forever.

his, I know you can never look too much and dissect a tweet or an Instagram post or ever, but it's funny that his caption is, here to stay, Loveheart. That's kind of a, that kind of hits the vibe of I'm not leaving, you know, for Wall Street kind of thing. I'm never leaving. Here to stay at Scuderia Ferrari. This is forever. Don't worry.

I will endure this for the rest of my career. Yeah, I bet you are. The phrase don't worry. is definitely not. Because it's going so well so far. Yeah, lots of wins, lots of wins. Right, okay, so why don't we get into our first thoughts? My initial first thought is a mixture of emotions.

Let's put it that way. I think let's start with the positive. I love wearing Ferrari merch. I think it's a great looking piece of kit. So I'm glad that he's... My positive is I liked Michael Schumacher. Yeah, I obviously loved Michael Schumacher. Schumacher back in the day. And I'm glad he's staying with Ferrari because the dream, the delusion is that he

wins a world championship with Ferrari. It would still hit. Don't get me wrong, but it wouldn't hit the same if he went somewhere else and won a world championship. The romance surrounding that Scarlet team is something that can't be matched by any other in my opinion. So I'm glad to a degree, yes, that we are still heading towards. that dream. Maybe Charleclair knows something about the 2030 regulations and how Ferrari might be with V8 engines. I'm joking, obviously. But yeah, that's that side.

I don't want to call it negatives because it's not. It's more just apprehension of this has been what Charleclair's had since a long time. My goodness me, how long has he been at Ferrari now? Since 20. Oh, God. Yeah. You do the math. 2019.

said the number. Oh, you did. Yes, multiple years. It's been there a long time, and it seems like he may well get to at least 10 years at Ferrari, and you've got to just wonder, surely one of these seasons Ferrari will have the consistently fastest car. Don't come at me with, well, a legal engines here,

and he was really fast at the start of 2022. A consistently fastest car for an entire season. Surely one of those years it can happen, right? Hopefully, maybe. Obviously, it's been a long time since Ferrari won a world title. We don't need to, yeah, I mean, it has. You enjoyed that. You enjoyed that.

And, well, not really, because as Alonzo Stan, I'd love to have seen him win it, and he came very close twice. Still, you know, the closest driver to do it for Ferrari for a long, long time since, obviously, Kimmy won the title and they won the constructors didn't they as well but uh in 2008 so it's been a very very long time but you're right in saying that charler leclair going somewhere else and winning the world title it would be just so epic to win for Ferrari even if you're not like a big Ferrari

fan or you know you support someone else or whatever i think for any fan of the sport the story of Charlerclair being the guy to win the world title for Ferrari after so many years would be absolutely incredible like remember I mean everyone remembers it Alex uh Alex's commentary when uh he won in Monaco yeah the the epic thing just imagine if he wins the world title like the the story would be incredible for Formula One the hardship there's so many years where people said you're wasting your career. Like, if he actually did it, it would be unbelievable. But there's no denying that it's a risk.

And the thing here is people can't predict the future. There's so many sliding doors moments in Formula One, and you just don't know how it's going to go. However much everyone thinks Lewis Hamilton was a genius for joining Mercedes, it was still like a moment where, like, you just don't know. and things have gone one way, and things have gone the other. And you look at Lando,

I remember doing a podcast when we first started P1 about Lando Norris and going, does he need to leave McLaren, they're not going anywhere. He should probably think he's going to waste his talent. He's one of the best drivers in Formula One. He needs to go somewhere else. And he stayed at McLaren.

They turned it around and won the World Championship. So it's not impossible. I think that's some positive to hang on to some hopeium for you. I will be clinging on to that. So thank you, Tommy. That's made me believe all over again. Let's get into some questions. Nerd LFC asks,

what do you think was the biggest factor in LeCler choosing to extend? I think without discrediting him, it's that there was nowhere really else to go. Because, as we mentioned, you've got to be in the right place at the right time. And at the moment, that is Mercedes and McLaren. and there are two kind of driver lineups that are kind of locked in. We still don't know whether Mercedes are going to keep George Russell on board,

depending on what happens this season, whether George decides to go elsewhere, whether Toto keeps him because he's offering him very short deals as well. And you kind of said this, we've had this conversation a few times of like, unfortunately for LeClaire, he's an incredibly good driver, I think one of the most gifted drivers on the grid and one of the best.

But unfortunately, his CV does not reflect that. And I think that's not really fair on him. It's not all his driving. Certainly not. But he doesn't have that credit in the bank, like of Estappan or Lewis Hamilton has where he goes. I'm going to Ferrari now. See you later, Carlos Sites.

I don't care that you're actually really good and definitely wouldn't have left in any other situation. I'm joining Ferrari goodbye. Unfortunately for Shal, even though it's a fantastic driver, can't do that. So it does make sense, and I just don't see where else he could go. The only other option might be Red Bull if Max leaves,

but is that, again, we'd be talking about, is that just a sideways step? I don't personally see Red Bull returning to the team that they were anytime soon, sadly for me. bit of my pain now. So in terms of the biggest factor for LeCler choosing to extend, I think there was a few, but one of the biggest for me was the fact that he just loves the team.

But he is absolutely sold on the dream that we have just spoken about of winning a world championship for Ferrari. I feel like just everything about the team fits so well with what Charles LeClair stands for and is. I don't know. It just, it makes sense. And I don't know if that just sounds complete rubbish, but it does. The Leclair Ferrari partnership just is one that has gone on now for quite some time. And yes, there have been some very, very difficult moments.

But the highs, there's no other team in the world where you could win at their home race. And it is like the biggest pandemonium event. Like, it's not like, for example, you know, when we had a German Grand Prix and you won, for Mercedes there for example. It's not the same. You don't have the same as winning at Monza for Ferrari. There's no better race. So I think those kind of moments just stick with the driver.

And for Lecler, yeah, the love for the team is definitely one. And another one is the fact that there is no where to go. Mercedes-McClaren, I feel, are firmly locked off at the moment, at least for a Lecler. You know, for a Max Verstappen, he could knock on the door and speak to Toto and say, can I play with your car? And he'll say yes. And then George will probably leave. But sadly, as much as he has a limited credit in the bank for me, personally, LeClaire, you know, he's incredible.

It's not the same. So, yeah, there's a lot of factors. And also the fact that Ferrari aren't terrible. You know, people talk about Ferrari on social media as if they're the fifth or sixth fastest team at the moment. They are a team that, yes, have not won a race this year. But they've been right up there and close to being fastest. and that's the problem that Ferrari always do is that they're second or third fastest. They finish second in the constructors all the time.

And that's not a bad team to be. And, you know, if LeClair was to then announce this year, I'm going to Aston Martin, because I believe in the dream there. Everyone would be questioning, why the hell are you doing that? Or why the hell are you going to any other team other than Mercedes or McLaren, but neither of those are possible. So I don't really think the criticism that LeClaire will get of wasting his career is fair. I know some people are going, oh, why don't you just wait to see what happens with

Max and how that changes the whole driver market. But what's to say that isn't happening anyway? Just because he's announced this contract extension, we know how little contracts actually matter in the world of Formula One. If a team wants a driver, they will make it happen. We've seen that before. So, you know, as much as this has been announced, you know that the conversations, or at least if you think about it, the paddock conversations are ongoing all the time. So I'm sure LeClair's team have looked at the options and this is this is the best one. I think Ferrari, as you say, is that loyalty to Ferrari and just to go on your point that you made at the start, even with people that have won world championships together like Maxisthappen and Red Bull

Lando with McLaren, there's no kind of more emotional bond between a team and driver like there is Charlerc and Ferrari. However much people like take the Mick out of it, it's true that that he kind of is born to be a Ferrari driver from the start and he wants to win that world title for Ferrari. And that is a risk he's willing to take as well. And Ferrari equally, I think, want as much as they've got Lewis Hamilton, I think deep down Ferrari wants Charles to be that driver to win the world championship for them because it would be an unbelievable story. I mean, if Hamilton won it, it would be as well. So basically, if either of them win, they've got a great story.

But I think, I think obviously, like Hamilton's gone there because he always wanted to drive for Ferrari if he wins the world title, great. Whereas, I mean, this, this is proving that Charlotte Claire has always their kind of future plan, if you like, for the long term. because Lewis Hamilton isn't, with the greatest of respect, getting a multi-year deal because he probably will retire because he just will have to at some point, even though I think he will stay longer than maybe we expected initially. So, yeah, I do think that a lot of it is just the bond between them as well, and they really, really, really, really want to make it work. And there is, however much you want to be in the best car, there is loyalty to Formula One as much as people maybe don't think there would be.

Well, there's loyalty. And then there's just generally, like, people forget that these are actual human beings, the drivers, as well. And they'd have to uproot their entire life if LeClair was to move from Ferrari to Mercedes, or I guess he would take Mercedes in a heartbeat. but like, you know, there are plenty of other logistical reasons that we don't think about as well. He'd have to change his car from a Ferrari to a Mercedes. Yeah.

It's a tough life. You've got to think about this thing. It is very tough. But I will say that if Helmson won for Ferrari, I think from a global side of things, that would transcend the Leclair Championship at Ferrari as much as that breaks my heart to say. But both of them would be massive for the sport. Next question. Brockin- Souls.

Is this promising for Ferrari in the sense that Charles is hope that Charles is hope that Charles is hopeful they can deliver a title winning car under these regulations. I love the positive spin with this question of the fact that, you know, it could be that he just likes a lot of money driving Ferraris and it's very, very comfortable life with a podium sitting car at the moment. But no, it's, we're going to get a title winning car under these regulations. I don't know if Charles, I mean, Charles is hopeful and Charlott has been hopeful since 2019. So I guess the fact that there is still hope is a good thing,

but I'm not reading into this as Ferrari are cooking up something. They know something. They've done a double Macalachian. I'll know something. I would love to say that, but I can't jump. I can't. For my own emotion, I can't jump on that hype train. I think they, the promise of them delivering a title.

in these regulations. The thing we said at the start about Lando, never say never, because no one would have expected it. And it's very easy to look at it and go, oh, well, Red Bull are just going to dominate this whole regulation the last time out. And actually by the end of it, they fell off a bit. The pack always gets closer. And then McLaren managed to, you know, go into a year where they were actually pretty

dominant, particularly at the start of the year, which if you'd have said three years previously, you'd have said, jog on, no chance. That's definitely not going to happen. So I don't think it's out the question that Mercedes aren't going to just completely dominate for the rest of time in these regulations and win every single race like they're doing at the moment. That being said, this is a bit of a side note. But I don't think it's been said enough,

and we've probably not had this conversation, so let's have it now. How much Ferrari have been shafted with these regulations? and I don't think they're shouting about this anywhere near enough as I think someone like Christian Horner or Toto Wolf would be because they built a car for these regs

to just start a Grand Prix normally knowing they'd have an advantage with a great start and yet they changed the rules so there was a start procedure which immediately kind of made their starts less good because if it was just a case of five lights to come on and go

for I would be leading into term one every single week at the start of the season. So they changed that. Then they changed the kind of regulations again, which has kind of made them further back. And for all the criticism that Ferrari get, they built, I think, a very good car for these regulations. And I think had things just stuck there where they were with normal start

procedure, yes, we'd be complaining about how ridiculous the regulations are. But I genuinely think Ferrari would be up there challenging for the championship and race wins this year. Oh no, they'd lead for three more laps and then lose the lead again, mate. Just because they get to the lead, I don't think that would. Australia was definitely a showcase of that wouldn't happen. But then they didn't pit under the BSC and then, you know, so there are other. There are strategies, yeah.

There are other factors. I'd love to say that, right? But obviously they've brought those kind of procedures in for health and safety of the drivers as well. You know, you can't be having Ferrari launching off at 50 mile an hour quicker than everybody else because that could cause some issues. And so I can understand to a degree why they've brought that in. And also, I guess, of course, there's going to be a lot of conversations behind closed doors. But Ferrari building that car was awesome to see in the first few races,

but I think we all knew that it wasn't going to last. And already we're seeing that that's not the case. And McLaren are getting just as good as starts. George had the best start of everybody in Canada. So teams were able to figure it out pretty quickly, I guess, with the fact they have this pre-race start thing. But I wonder how long that will last in the regulations as well before they eventually scrap it because teams have figured it out.

I think it's going to be harder that Ferrari have had an advantage and now they're almost going to have to not like start again from scratch but like refine their performance in a different way. Whereas obviously other teams, you were kind of like further back like McLaren surprised everyone with how much they kind of improved. whereas Ferrari started strong and have like fallen off

and now they need to kind of get back there which I think is going to be quite a struggle but I don't think it's impossible gosh who's the Ferrari fan on this podcast we love to see it P1Petri member A Good Karen asks will we see Ferrari force a seven-time world champion

into retirement for the second time they can't keep Bearman waiting forever this is going to be very fascinating to see now what they're do with Lewis Hamilton. He's obviously his form is now so much better than it was last year. He's having a great season, I think, and improved massively. And as we were saying, like, Hamilton winning a world championship at Ferrari, just winning races with Ferrari would be an enormous story for Ferrari. It'd be huge for their brand. Their stock might go up after that

hideous electric car that they released. and get back into some positive light. And as much as Ollie Bearman, I think, is a real talent for Ferrari as a brand, you know, Lewis Hamilton is the guy that they want in for the name, for everything. And obviously, he's performing a lot better now and very well indeed, actually. So Hamilton's going to want to stay longer now, I think. they are they do run the risk of betterman looking elsewhere you know look what happened with with shal they tried to like get him in early sebastian bell end up leaving so if i have done it

before and like this question sort of mentions they they did it with michael schumacher where they something mercedes did with lice hamilton where they don't quite push them out but they kind of do things yeah yeah but even hamilton at mercedes it was kind of a, we've had this conversation before, Toto now loves to go, I still feel like he's my driver. It's like, well,

you should have offered him a multi-a-deal then if he got about that much. So, yeah, they can't keep Bearman waiting forever because I think he's, he would be ready to go into Ferrari next year, I think, but that's not going to happen because they have the statistical greatest of all time in that seat. and he wants to stay and he's driving well at the moment. He is, yeah, he's turned around his form this year, has Hamilton,

especially off the back of Canada that we saw last time out. It's going to be fascinating to see what Ferrari do here. If Hamilton's quick enough, I think Berman will have to wait. I think the beauty of Ferrari and where they sit is that they can keep Bairman waiting forever because the minute Berman gets given the opportunity, Olli, will take it. There's no denying that whatsoever. So just because Olli might have to wait a season or two, or maybe even three, find another team if he's not happy at Hasse, he will go to Ferrari eventually. It just depends when, I think, unless Ollie's performance, of course, dips and then the whole landscape changes once again.

But something I wanted to say about Ferrari as well, which was probably more linked to the previous question around Shal being hopeful of a title winning car. let's not forget that the engine performance assessment has happened after Canada now. So we should, in theory, hear which teams are getting an upgrade or allowed to have an upgrade before Monaco. So I haven't seen that yet. I haven't seen a list or anything like that. But just to give you guys an idea, I've got it here of what that means if you're not entirely up to speed. So it's called the ADUO additional development and upgrade opportunities to essentially help manufacturers that are behind to catch up. So the engine performance is measured across three periods, rounds one to five, so we've had five, then six to 11 and then 12 to 18.

And essentially, if there are engines that are deemed to be between 2 and 4% behind the lead engine, then they're given an extra $3 million of cost cap allowance. and allowed to bring an extensive upgrade at some point later in this season. So that would be really interesting to see. And if you're further back, by the way, you get two upgrades and things like that. And also up to, I think, $11 million worth of cost cap. So I really like this as basically a stop, as kind of a blockade of not having a 2014 season all over again with Mercedes dominating by a country mile.

So let's see what the results come of that because that will be a fascinating thing to see if Ferrari for example are deemed to be 2 to 4% behind which I would like to assume that they will be to be able to then bring upgrades to their engine or an upgrade to their engine so I just wanted to bring that up because of course we're talking about Ferrari

or we find out that Mercedes were just sandbagging the whole time and actually now can stretch their legs would you because there was the whole talk of like they were pretending to be slower to let people catch up and it doesn't look like they actually have that

much of an advantage and then it wouldn't. But I think this is like an independent test that it's not like they look at the races and go, oh, you're 2% ahead. So they get their engine and put it through stuff. That's my understanding of it anyway because otherwise you would have sandbagging and then you know, oh

at Ferrari are actually 1.9% behind guys. Oh yeah, it would be like the balance of performance in the WC that has caused lots of controversy because people like end up just being slow on purpose and then winning Le Mans by miles because they basically sandbag then they do the Bob and then they win Lamont. So oh actually no I tell a lie. So what they do is use live telemetry from the cars during Grand Prix weekends.

Because teams can always sandbag. The calculation relies on objective physical parameters. So there's more to it, I think, than sandbagging and getting away with it. So that's why Russell and Aninelli have been battling every race. Yeah, to slow down. Slow each other down. So apparently the FIA feeds this real-time data into a highly complex secret mathematical equation to produce the official ice performance index.

Otherwise known as chat GPT. Otherwise known as the results are released and Ferrari are 5% clear. And everybody gets an upgrade. Oh, actually, Ferrari, you've got the best engine. They're like, what? Please know, please know. Okay, next question. LH44 SHM7 asks,

do you think Charles will eventually win a title with Ferrari or will he bail out of this extension for a better offer? Yes, he's winning a title at Ferrari and no, he's not bailing out. It's either not winning a title at all or winning a title with Ferrari and I'm going to go with the beautiful scenario of him winning a world title at some point with Ferrari.

It has to happen. It has to. I for all the banter that we have I hope it does happen I think it would be a great story for Formula One I'd like to see it and I do think that if Charles Leclair ends his career not even just with not winning a world title but with the number of wins he has like

or or kind of not mastering his potential because I look at the kind of wins that he's had and comparing him to kind of other people in that situation. You know, he is a fantastic driver, and I think it was Sebastian Vettel that wrote on his helmet, when they did a helmet swap when I think Vettel retired or left Ferrari

and said, don't waste your talent, you're one of the, one of, or even the best driver, like the most talented driver I've seen. I think it was something along those lines. And yet, here we are with him extending with Ferrari again, hoping for it. but this is the nature of the beast and the nature of Formula One. And I'm not saying that people are, there is an element of luck in Formula One.

That is true. It's not to discredit anyone in Formula One. Like, had a sliding doors moment not happen with Braun GP, Jensen Burton would have just been thought of as, oh, he's wasted his career at Honda, didn't go well. You know, he was at the back of the grid. and then he got the car and then he could share what he could do.

So there's so many great drivers on the grid, this is what the conversation that we've had of like, and it's because there's so many talented drivers on the grid that we go, oh, Fernando Alonzo, he's wasting his career here, he can never get the right team. Oh, Lando Norris, he's a really talented drive, where can he go?

Oscar Piazari, does he want to be second driver to Charlerler? It's because there's so many good drivers on the grid. And for the history of Formula One, as much as we want to see every single one, every single team and driver be able to win, the history of Formula One tells us that you're basically one or two every year winning cuts. So there's a very slim chance of you actually being in the right place at the right time.

And I'm sorry to end on a bad note, but I don't think Shalla win a world title. I hope he does and I'd like to see it. But unfortunately, I just think, He won't because of Ferrari. Clip this up. Ready for it to roll it out in 2030. Well, everyone's already done the Landon Norris one of one.

He's got to leave McLaren. They're never going to win anything. Hey, and we never said that Landon wouldn't win a world title. No, we said that McLaren. Exactly. Maclaren wouldn't be able to deliver. And then they were like, actually, that's just become the greatest team and win. So I think you mentioned about Willie Bell for a better offer.

I will confidently say I don't know how confidently if he will win a title or not but I can confidently say I don't think he's ever leaving Ferrari I think he's Ferrari till the end now yeah potentially although we have seen you know we said Hamilton would stay at Mercedes forever

and then you know to the end of their career or McLaren and then things can change even the team can go we're looking for a bit of younger talent of course Charlotte Clare's not old but when we get further down the line perhaps that might be a case again where Ferrari go,

look, we'll give you a one year and Charles wants more than that, and he'll go somewhere else and inevitably win the world title. But yeah, I just looked up something which is sad reading, which is a list of Formula One winners. I've literally got that open as well, yeah, and looking at people that have got more. It's funny that, well, it's not funny at all, that when I see that he only has eight wins, that that is absolute,

like I thought we were on nine at least, but we're not, we're on eight, which is the same as Daniel Ricardo. We're behind Oscar Piastri. I say we, like we're all collectively a Charlotte Clair fan. You know what I'm saying. We're one win behind.

We're two wins behind Valtrey Bottas. Lando has 11 wins, which is pretty good going for him. And I'm looking at the next current driver on 32. So it's a big jump for current drivers. Yeah, I mean, come on.

We've got to get ahead of Bottas at least. We've got to get into double digits. but it's it's tough it's been it's been a while since we last saw a charlerc win but anyway positive we're winning it all US 2024 how um oh yeah just car lost is the most recent sorry winner shut up why you're actually max has won a race in a frari more recently actually because he won that gt race cool is that one of the ones he wasn't disqualified from got got his car actually let me well run the uh list of wins.

71, yeah, Max. Okay, just I just have a lot. You just thought you'd check. Yeah, 71 once. All right, I pray for your downfall. Not Max's downfall, just yours. All right, thank you, everybody,

for tuning in to this Charlotte Claire specific podcast. Let's know what you think. Where does Charles future take him? And we'll see you in Monaco. We're flying to Monaco literally tomorrow morning. So can't wait to be out there. Of course, all of our podcasts will be out. Internet willing at normal time.

So we'll see you soon. Bye. Bye. Of course they'll have nine wins on Monday. I wasn't going to say that. I wasn't going to say that. You said that. You said that.

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