Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have reached a new agreement that will most likely keep him on the Scuderia team until 2026, when new regulations are expected to be implemented.

The contract of the 26-year-old driver from Monaco with Ferrari was set to expire at the conclusion of the 2024 F1 season. However, the team was determined to secure his position for a longer period. Leclerc’s new deal is open-ended and will cover “several more seasons”. Despite Ferrari’s struggles in recent years, Leclerc remains optimistic about his future with the team.

He said, “Since I joined the Ferrari driver academy in 2016, this team has become like a second family to me. Over the past five years, we have faced many challenges and accomplished a lot together.”

“I am confident that the future holds even better things, and I am eagerly anticipating the start of the season to continue improving and compete at a high level in every race. My ultimate goal is still to win the world championship with Ferrari.”

Without a doubt, Leclerc is one of the most skilled drivers on the racing track. However, he has yet to live up to expectations as Ferrari continues to struggle to keep up with the speed of Mercedes and, more recently, Red Bull.

In 2018, he had a significant impact in his first season with Alfa Romeo and was later promoted to Ferrari in 2019, where he achieved two victories. In 2022, he and his team began the season successfully, winning three more races, but were eventually surpassed by Red Bull. Ferrari has not claimed a drivers’ championship title since 2007.

His performance in single-lap qualifying is impressive, having secured 23 pole positions. This consistently demonstrates his ability to push the car beyond its capabilities, but Ferrari has faced challenges in translating their speed on Saturdays to the race pace on Sundays.

In the upcoming season, which begins on March 2nd in Bahrain, there is hope that the team will continue to make progress and close the gap on Red Bull, who dominated last year with 21 out of 22 wins and Max Verstappen as the reigning world champion.

Leclerc has consistently shown his dedication and trust in the team since joining their academy in 2016. The principal of the Ferrari team, Fred Vasseur, acknowledged Leclerc’s talent but also emphasized the responsibility for the team to provide the necessary equipment for their driver.

“We are familiar with his unwavering drive to constantly challenge himself and we admire his exceptional skills in racing and surpassing others,” he stated. “We are dedicated to providing Charles with a victorious car and I am confident that his perseverance and dedication are key factors that can contribute to our success in achieving our objectives.”

The contract of his teammate, Carlos Sainz, will come to an end at the conclusion of the current season.

Source: theguardian.com