While currently still on "honeymoon", Charles Leclerc could become "quite tired" of Ferrari in the coming years, Mark Webber has warned.
Since joining at the start of 2019, the Monegasque has established himself as the new lead driver at the Italian team at the expense of Sebastian Vettel.
Indeed, his performances last year earned Leclerc an extension to his original Ferrari contract until the end of 2023.
But with Vettel leaving, the 22-year-old is now set to fully take on the pressure and stress that comes with the position of No.1 driver at the Scuderia.
And as he does so with Ferrari trying to recover from their current lack of performance, the Australian former Red Bull driver fears the team/driver relationship could follow the same path as the four-time world champion.
“Keep an eye on Charles Leclerc,” Webber said via Channel 4. “I’m interested in him and the next few years.
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“It’s the honeymoon period now, but we’re going to be sitting here in the next 24 months, three years possibly saying Leclerc could be quite tired too [of Ferrari].
“It’s a big, big undertaking to drive for Ferrari and he could be the next one in the crosshairs.”
In the meantime, Felipe Massa has backed his former team's decision to support Leclerc by dropping Vettel after 2020.
“Vettel’s time has passed, so much so that his results this year show that Ferrari may have taken the right option not to renew his contract," he said bluntly to Brazil's Globo.
“To see such an important team suffering in this way is very sad and nobody wants to see Ferrari having these problems.
"It is an exceptional team, I have a great affection for them. Without a doubt, it is different from all other teams, almost as if it's a religion.
“Of course, they need to have a competitive car before anything else," he added. “But Carlos Sainz is a good driver - he's young and has a lot of room to grow as well."
Vettel confirmed he'll be staying in F1 for the next two years at least after signing for Racing Point ahead of their rebrand to Aston Martin in 2021.
