Charles Leclerc and Ferrari will continue together for the next few years in Formula 1. This is the third contract with the Scuderia for the Monegasque, the first was signed with his entry into the Academy (in 2016) and took him until his entry into the Formula 1 team at the beginning of 2019. His debut as a top driver convinced Maranello management to secure Leclerc by offering him a 5-year contract, i.e. the agreement that will expire at the end of this season.
The renewal was in the air, Frederic Vasseur and Charles himself never really looked for alternatives, out of mutual respect but also due to a lack of alternatives on both fronts. The points discussed were the duration of the agreement, the remuneration and probably any exit clauses.
The extension, the duration of which has not been confirmed but everything suggests that it could be until the end of 2026, is the compromise solution that satisfies both fronts, and will lead Leclerc to contest nine consecutive seasons in red, becoming the driver with the greatest number of Grands Prix contested behind the wheel of a Ferrari. An aspect that may please Charles, but certainly not his first objective.
In Maranello they have cemented a fundamental asset for the medium and long-term future. The new technical cycle that will debut in 2026 will need solid foundations, and the riders are fundamental elements. It is very likely that the announcement of Carlos Sainz's renewal will also follow in the next few days, an agreement on which doubts remain regarding its duration.
However, Leclerc's contract was a priority, and required the approval of both CEO Benedetto Vigna and president John Elkann, who has always had a direct relationship with Charles. For Vasseur it is an obvious and important step, since if there had been critical issues in Leclerc's renewal he would have been the number one defendant.
Ferrari's announcement is the first of many expected this season, given that at the moment only five drivers have contracts for 2025. Leclerc becomes the sixth, and although there is nothing surprising, the news (along with the expected by Sainz) is destined to trigger subsequent movements.
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