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Charles Leclerc will keep at Ferrari for years to return after the Italian Formulation One group introduced a contract extension.
The 26-year-old Monaco-born driver’s earlier deal was because of expire on the finish of the 12 months however signed a brand new contract on Thursday.
“I am very happy to know that I will likely be sporting the Scuderia Ferrari race go well with for a number of extra seasons to return,” he mentioned in an announcement that didn’t state the size of the extension.
The deal is more likely to take Leclerc into the game’s new engine period that begins in 2026, nonetheless, and assures continuity for the game’s oldest and most profitable group whose different driver, Spaniard Carlos Sainz, stays unsigned for 2025.
It additionally means the highest groups have drivers signed up for the following few years with Crimson Bull’s triple world champion Max Verstappen contracted to the top of 2028 whereas Lewis Hamilton and George Russell are at Mercedes via 2025.
Fourth-placed McLaren have Lando Norris and younger Australian rising star Oscar Piastri signed up till the top of 2025 and 2026 respectively.
“Charles’s bond to the Scuderia goes past that of only a driver and a group, as he has been a part of the Ferrari household for eight years now,” mentioned Ferrari’s French boss Fred Vasseur.
“His values and people of our group are intertwined and so it was pure for us to have the same opinion on extending our collaboration.
“We all know him for his incessant want to push himself to the restrict and we recognize his extraordinary skills on the subject of combating and overtaking in a race.”
Vasseur mentioned Ferrari, who final received the drivers’ title with now-retired Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 and have been constructors’ champions in 2008, have been decided to supply Leclerc with a successful automotive.
Ferrari have been the one group to beat dominant Crimson Bull in a race final season however completed third general behind Mercedes.
Leclerc grew to become Ferrari’s youngest grand prix winner in 2019 and now has 5 wins to his credit score with 30 podiums, 23 pole positions and 7 quickest laps.
“To race for this group has been my dream since I used to be three years previous,” mentioned Leclerc, who grew up watching the pink automobiles compete on his dwelling streets on the Monaco Grand Prix.
“This group is my second household ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and now we have achieved rather a lot collectively, combating via thick and skinny over the previous 5 years.
“Nonetheless, I imagine one of the best is but to return and I can not look forward to this season to start out, to make additional progress and be aggressive at each race.
“My dream stays that of successful the world championship with Ferrari and I am positive that within the years forward, we’ll take pleasure in nice occasions collectively and make our followers pleased.”
The 2024 season begins in Bahrain on March 2.
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