Charles Leclerc will continue to drive for Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1 beyond 2024, following a multi-year contract extension, the Maranello-based squad confirmed on Thursday.
Ahead of the start of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship, Scuderia Ferrari announced the contract extension of its former Driver Academy member, Charles Leclerc.
Together, they will continue to work on their ultimate goal, to claim the world championship at the pinnacle of motorsport.
“I’m very pleased to know I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come,” outlined Leclerc.
“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,” added the driver born in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
The Italian team, which he considers a second family since he first joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016, has seen his protege stepping at the top of the podium on five occasions, adding 23 pole positions to his name while taking part in 103 races wearing the iconic red race suit over the last full five seasons as a Formula One driver.
However, in the lead-up to his sixth season as a racer for the outfit, the Monegasque is confident that the best lies ahead.
“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,” he asserted.
“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.”
The Prancing Horse last captured the Formula One Driver World Championship in 2007 at the hands of retired pilot Kimi Raikkonen.
Leclerc, 26, ended his 2023 campaign fifth in the Driver Standings, scoring 206 points.
At the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the last round of the year, he clinched a second-place finish to wrap up a challenging season with notorious progress as a team after the summer break.
Fred Vasseur, who took on the role of Ferrari Team Principal in 2023, commented: “Charles’ bond to the Scuderia goes beyond that of just a driver and a team, as he has been part of the Ferrari family for eight years now, dating back to a time before he first sported the Prancing Horse emblem on his race suit.
“His values and those of our team are intertwined, so it was natural for us to agree on extending our collaboration.
“We know him for his incessant desire to push himself to the limit, and we appreciate his extraordinary abilities when it comes to fighting and overtaking in a race.”
In pursuing their common goals, the team boss remarked: “We are determined to give Charles a winning car, and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”
The Scuderia will launch their 2024 challenger on February 13th, featuring Leclerc and teammate Carlos Sainz, whose contract expires by the end of the season.
The Bahrain International Circuit will host winter testing in Sakhir over three days, from February 21 to 23, gearing up for the season opener, the 2024 F1 Bahrain Grand Prix, which will take place on March 2.
