Charles Leclerc avoided giving a straight answer when asked if he would consider joining Mercedes in the future.
Silver Arrows boss Toto Wolff has previously said that he would not be against poaching Leclerc or Max Verstappen from their rivals if the opportunity presents itself. So far, such a move has been out of the question, but things might not remain that way forever.
Leclerc's current Ferrari contract expires at the end of the 2024 season and at the moment there is no obvious indication that a new deal will be struck any time soon. Lewis Hamilton looks likely to extend with Mercedes for now, but the fact remains he is in the twilight of his Formula 1 career.
With Mercedes forced to consider more long-term options, Leclerc's name has once again come up. Asked directly about his future in an interview with French outlet L'Equipe, the 25-year-old said he is happy with his current team for now – but did not directly say he would not consider moving elsewhere in the future.
He said: "2024 is still a long time away and there is still a little time left at Ferrari. This team has always been my dream. My objective for now is to win with Ferrari. Then we'll see. I am very happy at Ferrari and I want to win with them."
Leclerc finished second in the drivers' championship this season, but it has still been a frustrating year for him. He set the pace in the first few races, but has since been severely hampered by a mixture of reliability issues, team strategy blunders and a few mistakes of his own.
Rumours persist that his relationship with team principal Mattia Binotto has soured, ever since he was given a public telling-off at the British Grand Prix. Some reports, including another from L'Equipe, have even gone as far as to claim that the pair "no longer speak".
Binotto's own future at Ferrari is under scrutiny, though. It has been claimed he could be replaced this winter after his team failed to mount a serious challenge for the title, and his mooted replacement Frederic Vasseur was coy when responding to questions, and simply told reporters: "You'll find out soon enough."
In an attempt to shut down speculation, Ferrari issued a public statement on the matter. "In relation to speculation in certain media regarding Scuderia Ferrari team principal Mattia Binotto's position, Ferrari states that these rumours are totally without foundation," it read.
