Charles Leclerc‘s manager, Nicolas Todt, has predicted a “very hot” Formula 1 driver market for 2027, as teams prepare for the fallout from new technical regulations.
After a major shake-up ahead of the 2025 season, only McLaren and Aston Martin kept the same line-ups from the previous year.
With most drivers now locked into long-term contracts, next season is expected to bring little movement. But that could all change once the new rules take effect.
Speaking to The Straits Times, Todt believes that 2026 has been a year where drivers will have been wary to make a switch, but may do so once it is clear which team has interpreted the new technical regulations the best.
“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’,” he said.
The Frenchman expects the post-2026 landscape to trigger major shifts, adding: “I think the driver market will be very hot.”
Leclerc, who joined Ferrari in 2019, remains under a long-term deal with the Scuderia but continues to wait for a car capable of fighting for an F1 title.
Ferrari’s 2025 campaign has been underwhelming. The team is yet to win a Grand Prix this season, aside from Lewis Hamilton’s sprint victory in China.
Frustration grows between Leclerc and Ferrari
Todt did not hide his frustration with Ferrari’s lack of progress. “Today, we have a good car, but not enough to win the title,” he said.
“We hope it will happen and we hope next year Ferrari will have a very good car with the new regulations.”
He praised Leclerc’s maturity and perseverance through difficult seasons. “Charles is one of the best talents of his generation, with Max and a few of the drivers.
“He’s not a baby any more because he has done a lot of seasons with Ferrari,” Todt remarked.
READ MORE – Why Lewis Hamilton thinks Ferrari is ‘more united than ever’ despite F1 2025 woes
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