Charles Leclerc will continue as a Ferrari driver for “several” more seasons after he signed a contract extension with his current team.
The 26-year-old has raced with the Scuderia since 2019, his second season in Formula 1. He was originally a member of Ferrari’s junior driver programme and made his F1 debut with Sauber in 2018.
Leclerc has one more season on his current contract with the team, which he signed after the end of the 2019 championship, but his new deal will keep him at Ferrari beyond this year.
“I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come,” Leclerc said.
“To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old. 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.”
Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur, who also worked with Leclerc at Sauber, said it was a “natural” decision to extend his contract.
“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,” Vasseur said. “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.”
Over five seasons and 102 grand prix starts with Ferrari, Leclerc has taken five grand prix victories, 23 pole positions, 30 podium appearances and a total of 1,035 points. His achievements make him the fifth most successful F1 driver over that same period, behind Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez.
Leclerc fell from second in the drivers’ championship in 2022 to fifth last year, equal on points with Fernando Alonso. Despite six podium finishes, Leclerc failed to win a grand prix. His Ferrari team mate, Carlos Sainz Jnr, was the only non-Red Bull driver to win a race throughout 2023.
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