Charles Leclerc has recently solidified his commitment to Ferrari’s Formula 1 team by reportedly signing a substantial five-year contract extension, as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport.
Leclerc’s association with Ferrari dates back to March 2016, progressing through the ranks and swiftly ascending to the senior F1 team after just a single season in the top tier of racing.
His immediate impact was notable, securing two victories, notably Ferrari’s first win at Monza in nearly a decade. He also outperformed his four-time World Champion teammate, Sebastian Vettel.
As a result of these achievements, Leclerc has inked an extensive five-year contract, marking the longest in Ferrari’s history. With the current deal originally set to conclude at the end of 2024, Ferrari is reportedly eager to secure Leclerc’s services for an extended period.
Earlier this week, Ferrari president John Elkann affirmed that both Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz would be receiving contract extensions, stating, “Sainz and Leclerc? They will stay, of course.”
Reports from Italy suggest that an announcement regarding Leclerc’s new contract is imminent. This contract would see him earning €25 million initially, doubling to €50 million by the final year.
Despite Leclerc enduring three seasons without a win at Ferrari, he has clinched five victories during his tenure with the senior team and has notched up an impressive 23 pole positions.
Ferrari started the latest rules cycle in 2022 with the fastest car but was swiftly surpassed in development, resulting in a decline to third place in the Constructors’ standings this year.
As per Gazzetta dello Sport, performance-related exit clauses will be incorporated into the terms of Leclerc’s contract, becoming active starting from the third year of the deal.
Before Lewis Hamilton and George Russell extended their contracts through 2025, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff had entertained the idea of Leclerc as a potential option for the German outfit.
Across the Ferrari garage, Carlos Sainz’s future appears to be less certain compared to Leclerc, despite Sainz securing an extension until the end of 2024 midway through the last season.
During the 2023 campaign, Sainz achieved the sole non-Red Bull victory in Singapore after starting from pole position. However, Ferrari seems less enthusiastic about retaining him in the long run.
Although reports from Gazzetta dello Sport suggest Sainz’s determination to stay within the team, Ferrari seems hesitant to grant him the desired two-year contract as mentioned. Instead, they seem inclined to offer him a one-year extension to keep tabs on the driver market, with Lando Norris emerging as an appealing option.
Norris, who has solely raced for McLaren in Formula 1, is presently committed to the Woking-based team until 2025. He has expressed his intention to continue with McLaren in the foreseeable future.
“It surprises me a lot, hearing things about 2026 when I don’t even have a contract for 2025,” he told the Spanish newspaper Marca in April.
“It amazes me how much people invent.” In some ways, it makes me giggle. In other ways, it irritates me that there are unsubstantiated rumours.
“No one will ever go to that journalist (who started the rumor) and verify it.”
“Because the aim is to stay at Ferrari for many years, I am very comfortable here, I’m living a dream, and this is my objective.”
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