2 F1 teams tried to lure Charles Leclerc away from Ferrari this season according to Helmut Marko

Red Bull advisor Dr. Helmut Marko claimed that two teams of the grid tried to sign Charles Leclerc to their team this season.

After dominating the first half of the 2022 season, Charles Leclerc showed some amazing performance on track and many teams were already interested in signing him. He ultimately finished as a runner-up in the 2022 Formula One World Championship.

Helmut Marko admitted to looking into the prospect of hiring the Monegasque driver in an interview with Formu1a.uno. He also said that there was another team who was very much interested in signing Leclerc.

“There were talks towards the end of May to understand if there was a possibility for him to leave Ferrari,” Marko said (via Formu1a.uno)

He added,

“Aston Martin also tried before us. They are looking for a top driver for when Alonso leaves the team.”

Red Bull's look at Leclerc likely points to them seeking a potential successor for Sergio Perez. The Mexican is entering the twilight of his career and the Austrian outfit could seek his replacement sooner rather than later.

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Charles Leclerc provides update about his contract with Ferrari

Extensions of Charles Leclerc's existing deal with Ferrari through the end of 2024 seem a little speculative. The numerous rumors that Leclerc was in contact with other teams, particularly Mercedes, have not, however, been discredited.

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In an interview with the BBC, Leclerc provided an update regarding his contract.

"My priority is to win with Ferrari and it is not my worry whether I won't achieve it or whatever. We just need to work on the team and try to improve it as much as possible, and I hope that I can achieve that one day."

As evidenced by his claims, it's clear that contract talks are not among Ferrari's priorities, as they focus on maximizing their season performance.