Charles Leclerc's future at Ferrari has taken yet another twist, just days after a hugely disappointing season for the Scuderia came to a close.
Ferrari were forced to settle for fourth in the Constructors' Championship, while Leclerc finished fifth in the Drivers' Standings, one place ahead of his teammate Lewis Hamilton.
Both the team and the Monegasque driver went winless in 2025, with their only success coming courtesy of Hamilton in the Chinese GP sprint race in March.
Although Ferrari decided to shift focus away from their current car and onto next year's, it remained a hugely disappointing campaign.
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They will hope that turning their attention to the 2026 car pays off, with technical regulation changes expected to shake up the grid.
However, if Ferrari are once again unable to match the pace of McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes, Leclerc may be forced to consider his future.
After Sunday's Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Leclerc insisted he can still win the world title with Ferrari.
But he admitted: "Next year will be a crucial year.”
With Leclerc stressing the need for an upturn in form, speculation linking him with a move away has only intensified.
Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 as a development driver.
After a year with Sauber in 2018, he replaced Kimi Raikkonnen at Ferrari the following season and has since gone on to win eight races for the Scuderia before signing his most recent contract in January 2024.
Although the length of the deal has not been publicly disclosed, BBC Sport report that it runs through until the end of 2029.
However, it remains unclear whether he will see out that contract if Ferrari's struggles continue next year.
Autoracer's Giuliano Duchessa reported that Leclerc will be "free to assess his options" after six or seven races next season.
The same journalist claims there are three teams on the grid interested in Leclerc's signature.
Although the identity of those teams is not confirmed, Aston Martin, Mercedes and McLaren have been the most strongly linked.
Italian journalist Leo Turrini reported that Aston Martin had personally contacted Leclerc's manager, while Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has previously expressed his admiration for the Ferrari driver.
After missing out on the world title, Oscar Piastri's future at McLaren also appears uncertain, with a move to Red Bull rumoured.
Ultimately, Leclerc has been clear that his priority is achieving success with Ferrari and he reiterated that after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“The season has been very tough, true,” Leclerc added.
“But there is still a lot of motivation as we think there is a big opportunity next year. So it is up to us to take that opportunity, and we are working flat-out to achieve that.
"So, I hope that Ferrari will finally get back on top.”
Topics: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Formula 1, Motorsport, Transfers
James Taylor