(Motorsport-Total.com) – Charles Leclerc will continue to race for Ferrari in Formula 1 in the coming years. The Scuderia announced this on Wednesday morning in a press release. However, no exact contract duration was mentioned.
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The Monegasque himself explains: “I couldn’t be happier to continue this journey with Scuderia Ferrari. For me, it has always been so much more than just a team. It is the team I have loved since my childhood and dreamed of being part of, and after all these years, it has become a second family.”
“Together we have experienced incredible moments, but also some tougher ones. Yet I believe in this team more than ever and am deeply grateful that we will continue to work side by side towards our common goal: bringing the World Championship back to Maranello.”
“Being a Ferrari driver is a dream, but also a responsibility that I never take for granted. I will continue to give everything to bring this team back to where it belongs: at the top. For everyone in Maranello and especially for the Tifosi, whose passion is the heartbeat of this Scuderia.”
Leclerc comes from the Ferrari junior program and initially entered Formula 1 in 2018 with the then customer team Sauber, before being promoted to the Ferrari factory team just one year later. Alongside Sebastian Vettel, he won two races directly in his first season for the Scuderia.
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Team principal Frederic Vasseur says about the new contract: “Charles has been part of the Ferrari family for many years now, and this contract extension seems completely natural to us.”
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“Over the past seasons, we have witnessed how he has developed not only into one of the strongest drivers in Formula 1 but also into a person who is completely in harmony with the team and everything Ferrari stands for,” says Vasseur.
“We appreciate his talent, we love his determination and the way he interacts every day with the people in the Scuderia, both on and off the track. We know how much this project means to him and look forward to continuing to work towards our shared goals.”
During the “Silly Season,” there had been speculation that Leclerc might leave the Scuderia to fulfill his dream of a world championship with another team. With his contract extension, these rumors should be off the table for now.