Charles Leclerc has signed a new long-term contract with Ferrari that will keep him at Maranello until at least the end of 2026.
Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and after making his Formula 1 debut with Alfa Romeo in 2018, he graduated to the works team in 2019. His original deal was due to expire at the end of this season, with the Monegasque consistently stating last year that he expected to agree a new deal with the Italian outfit.
“I am delighted to be staying with Scuderia Ferrari and extending my relationship with the team until 2026,” said Leclerc. “It’s the team I’ve always dreamed of racing for since I was a child.
“I first wore the red colours of Ferrari as a kid in Ste Devote, looking up at the cars racing through the principality, and I always kept an eye out for the red car. Since joining the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016, this team has become my second family, and we have grown and learned a lot together over the past five years.
“I strongly believe that the best is yet to come, and I look forward to starting this season and working hard to achieve our goal of winning championships together. My dream remains the same: to win the world title with Ferrari, and I know that together we will give our best to make this dream come true in the coming years.”
To date, Leclerc has contested 123 grands prix, claiming five victories with Ferrari in the past five seasons, although the Maranello outfit has not been able to mount a serious challenge to Mercedes and Red Bull. The Monaco driver has claimed 23 pole positions, underlining his raw pace, but Ferrari has often struggled with reliability and race strategy, preventing Leclerc from adding to his tally of wins or mounting a title tilt. However, this new agreement means he will be with the team when the next major F1 regulations come into force in 2026.
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur, who worked with Leclerc at Sauber when it ran the Alfa Romeo branding in 2018 before taking charge of the Prancing Horse outfit last year, said there was never any doubt about extending the youngster’s stay.
“Charles is not just a driver for us, because he has been part of the Ferrari family for eight years now, even before he first wore the Prancing Horse on his race suit,” said Vasseur. “His values dovetail perfectly with those of our team, so it was only natural that we reached an agreement to continue our journey together.
“We know how much he always pushes himself to the limit and appreciate his remarkable skills in wheel-to-wheel combat. We are determined to provide Charles with a car capable of winning, and I am convinced that his determination and commitment will be key factors in helping us reach our goals.”
Team-mate Carlos Sainz, three years older than Leclerc, also has a contract that runs out at the end of this season, and the Spaniard is keen for clarity on his future before the start of the campaign in Bahrain next month.
Despite persistent speculation linking Sainz with Audi, which is entering F1 in 2026 – a tie-up that gained extra intrigue given his father’s recent Dakar victory with the German manufacturer – the Spaniard has consistently denied any move and expressed his desire to remain at Ferrari.
