Ferrari has announced that Charles Leclerc has signed a multi-year agreement to remain with the Formula 1 giants for “the coming seasons”.
Their relationship has seen the Monrgasque already become the second-highest race entrant for the Scuderia, having joined the full F1 squad in 2019, after a year with Alfa Romeo whilst part of its academy.
With eight wins under his belt and solidifying a commonly-held perception of being the team’s golden child, Leclerc has thrilled the Tifosi with his exciting race style and often unparalleled one-lap nous.
Occasionally linked with other teams, Leclerc has frequently talked openly about his keenness to spend the entirety of his career with the Maranello-based squad, and Wednesday’s announcement that he will be remaining for a currently undisclosed period of time will likely see him be a Ferrari driver for a decade.
In a statement, Leclerc said: “I couldn’t be happier to continue this journey with Scuderia Ferrari HP.
“It has always been so much more than just a team to me. It’s the team I’ve loved and dreamt of being part of since I was a child, and after all these years it has become a second family.
“Together we’ve shared incredible moments and some tougher ones, but I believe in this team more than ever, and I’m deeply grateful that we will keep pushing side by side toward our shared goal of bringing the World Championship back to Maranello.
“Being a Ferrari driver is a dream, but it’s also a responsibility I never take for granted. I’ll continue to give absolutely everything I have to bring this team back to where it belongs, at the very top, for everyone in Maranello, and above all for the Tifosi, whose passion is the heartbeat of this Scuderia.”
Team Principal Fred Vasseur knows Leclerc of old, having been part of the Alfa setup during his time in the team, and was keen to wax lyrical about his continued stay with the team.
“Charles has been part of the Ferrari family for many years now and this renewal feels like something very natural for us,” he said. “Over these seasons, we have seen him grow to become not only one of the strongest drivers in Formula 1, but also a person who is completely at one with the team and everything Ferrari represents.
“We appreciate his talent, we love his determination and the way he approaches every day with the people in the Scuderia, both on and off the track. We know how much this project means to him and we are happy to continue working towards our shared goals.”
The news will no doubt be well-received at this weekend’s Grand Prix in front of a partisan crowd in Monaco, where he will be looking to add a second win on home soil.
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