Written by Vyas Ponnuri
Scuderia Ferrari have announced a brand new multi-season contract for Monegasque driver Charles Leclerc, meaning he will continue to don the famous Maranello red overalls well into the future.
Leclerc's fresh contract sees him continue on into the future, and will ensure he stays at the Scuderia for more seasons, continuing to display his class and talent, as he chases that elusive drivers championship.
Despite the team's championship drought extending to a decade and a half, Leclerc is undeterred, and aims to end this drought, becoming one of Maranello's most cherished heroes in the future, and attaining immortality in the hearts of the Tifosi.
New boss Fred Vasseur knows the Monegasque very well, having worked with him at Alfa Romeo too, and his capability to bring home championships in the future. It was imperative for Ferrari to nail down Leclerc's long-term contracts, as other teams would vie for a driver of his stature, should he leave the team.
So then, what does this massive signing mean for the Scuderia? And why were the bosses down at the Prancing Horse eager to retain their young star into the longer term?
Leclerc is arguably racing in the peak of his career now, having displayed sensational speed throughout qualifying in 2023, often outperforming the SF23 at his disposal. It makes complete sense for Scuderia Ferrari — as well as Charles, to pen down a new contract well into the future, so as to keep him fully motivated, and focused on his quest for Ferrari glory.
His Ferrari dream was kickstarted by an excellent rookie season in 2018 for Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo merited a promotion to the works Ferrari team for the next season.
Ever since he joined the Maranello-based team, the Monegasque has become a qualifying phenom, consistently showing red-hot pace in qualifying sessions. Regularly finding himself up the order on a Saturday, Leclerc's pace has translated to as many as 23 pole positions.
Leclerc has often outdriven the machinery at his disposal, dragging the Ferrari car to lofty positions on Saturday, giving the team a chance at big points, or podiums on Sunday. Delivering under immense pressure, when one lap can make or break the weekend, is never an easy task, and Leclerc has shown his promise in such situations, delivering quality laps to either snatch pole, or end qualifying strongly.
His Ferrari highlights include victories at Spa-Francorchamps and Monza back in 2019, when he withstood challenges from the charging Mercedes on both race days, while his street smarts in wheel-to-wheel combat with Max Verstappen earned him a victory at Bahrain, three years later.
Only two races later, he would dominate the race, taking his only Grand Chelem in the sport till date, starting from pole position, leading every lap, winning the race, and taking the fastest lap to boot.
He would later excel in another duel with Verstappen at Austria, winning at the home of Verstappen's team, Red Bull, braving issues with his throttle pedal, and a shadowing Dutchman late in the race, to take his first win from outside pole position.
Leclerc's qualifying has seen him often outperform the machinery at his disposal, a recurring theme during tough seasons in 2020 and 2023. Leclerc achieved a best qualifying slot of fourth in the shortened 2020 season, at Silverstone, Portimao, and later in the year at Sakhir.
He also capitalised on dramatic races at the season opener in Austria, and at Silverstone to bag a brace of podiums, his only rostrum appearances that year.
Leclerc's 2023 season was one of two halves. He began the year with two non-finishes in three races, followed by a strong weekend at Baku, when he took pole for the sprint and the main race, finishing second in the sprint, and third in the main race.
The Monegasque would make further podium appearances at Austria and Belgium before the summer break, finishing second and third respectively. Ever since an upgrade introduced by Ferrari at the Japanese Grand Prix, Leclerc's fortunes have turned too, with three pole positions at Austin, Mexico and Las Vegas, along with three podiums at Mexico, Las Vegas, and Abu Dhabi too.
Leclerc was duly thrilled to continue to don the glorious scarlet overalls well into the future, and chase after his elusive Formula One dream, saying:
"I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come,"
"To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment at Ste Devote corner and I would always look out for the red cars.
"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 head into 2024 on the back of a strong finish to the 2023 season, missing out on second place in the standings by only three points, to rivals Mercedes. The Maranello-based team will look to carry their momentum into the upcoming season, as they look to unleash a beast capable of challenging reigning champions Red Bull, and help both drivers in their quest for ultimate glory.
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