Hughes: "Leclerc must play a major role in the rebuilding of Ferrari"

Rebuilding Ferrari

Leclerc signed a long-term contract with Ferrari at the end of last year, because he has proven himself in 2019 as the man that the team will need in the future. Ferrari will also revolve around Leclerc, especially now that Vettel is leaving the racing team after this season. However, the good prospect now looks cloudy, because the Ferrari car itself is not good enough.

For Leclerc it is very important to play a crucial role in rebuilding Ferrari, Mark Hughes wrote in his column for Sky Sport F1. Ferrari has already initiated changes and is now aiming for full competitiveness in 2022, as 2021 won't be any different than this year and because development is frozen.

"That signing looked like the dream contract for him at the time, perhaps less so now that Ferrari has not only been hit by the TDs but also limited in its ability to progress by the regulation restrictions in power unit development imposed as a result of the pandemic - and by the one-year extension of the current monocoques, for the same reason," writes Hughes. "But this is still Ferrari, the most powerful team in the sport. It's difficult to conceive it will remain in the doldrums indefinitely, and its recent 'victory' in the Concorde negotiations (whereby it retains its favoured payment status and rules veto) can only enhance its future prospects."

In other words: Leclerc will have to take it for now, because the future looks better. The reorganization of the technical base should contribute to a better Ferrari in the future, but according to Hughes, "it's going to be vital for Leclerc to make himself part of that rebuilding when it would be easy to feel frustrated at the change in his competitive circumstances."