Charles Leclerc signs new Ferrari contract to remain with F1 team beyond 2024
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Charles Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 (Photo: Getty)
Charles Leclerc has signed a new contract with Ferrari which will keep him at the Formula One giants beyond the 2024 season.
The exact length of the deal is unknown, though there were rumours last season that the Scuderia wanted to tie him down to 2029, in a deal that could be worth £160million.
Regardless, the Monegasque driver is delighted that the ‘dream is continuing’, saying upon the announcement: ‘I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come.
‘To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment at Ste. Devote corner and I would always look out for the red cars.
‘This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years. However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race.
‘My dream remains that of winning the World Championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy.’
Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019, just a year after making his F1 debut, and has since established himself as one of the fastest drivers on the grid, with five wins, 23 poles and 30 podiums so far.
He finished a career-best second in the championship in 2022, having initially been the title favourite, but a mix of driver mistakes, tactical blunders and reliability problems have hampered his career.
The 26-year-old had been linked with a move to Mercedes should Sir Lewis Hamilton have retired, but this new deal has re-affirmed his desire to become Ferrari’s first world champion since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.
‘Charles’ bond to the Scuderia goes beyond that of just a driver and a team, as he has been part of the Ferrari family for eight years now, dating back to a time before he first sported the Prancing Horse emblem on his race suit,’ Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur said.
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‘His values and those of our team are intertwined and so it was natural for us to be in agreement on extending our collaboration. We know him for his incessant desire to push himself to the limit and we appreciate his extraordinary abilities when it comes to fighting and overtaking in a race.
‘We are determined to give Charles a winning car and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.’
Leclerc’s teammate Carlos Sainz remains in talks over a new deal, with his contract up at the end of the year, while the 2024 Ferrari car is set to be launched on February 13th.
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