F1 Rumour: Charles Leclerc Had Talks With Four Teams Ahead Of Huge Ferrari Renewal
We've been talking about the future of Charles Leclerc for a little while now as he's struggled with the performance and strategy of his Ferrari team for the second year in a row under these new regulations. Now, there are rumours that he's been in talks with four teams, but ultimately settled with a long and profitable contract with The Scuderia.
French sports news outlet Sportune broke the news recently, suggesting that the Monegasque driver had indeed inked a deal to race for Ferrari until 2026, with the potential to extend the agreement for another three years thereafter. This agreement, if validated, would position him as the driver holding the longest contract in the racing industry over Max Verstappen at Red Bull.
The source of this rumour, crash.net, indicates that Leclerc didn't rush into the decision, but took the time to gauge the options available with other prominent teams such as Red Bull, Mercedes, Alpine and Aston Martin. These discussions were reportedly initiated as a precautionary measure, in case his contract with the Maranello team wasn't renewed.
I'm also sure it worked quite nicely as a way of pushing up his price, but I digress.
The rumored deal with Ferrari seems to be incredibly lucrative, earning the young driver a sum total of roughly 185 million euros over the next five seasons. This equates to an eye-watering payday of around $37 million annually, with the potential of a 50-million-euro bonus if he remains on the team roster in 2029.
Over the past few months, the driver has often been linked to Mercedes. But despite these rumours, Leclerc has remained steadfast, staying at Ferrari as I expected and discussed in my recent video (below).
This loyalty that Charles holds for the the Prancing Horse extends beyond any superficiality. As we speak, Leclerc is currently in his fifth year racing with Ferrari, despite not having had a real shot at the championship title yet. Given the overwhelming dominance of Red Bull at the moment, the battle for the top spot in the coming season doesn't look any easier.
It's no secret that Frederic Vasseur, the team principal of Ferrari, has Leclerc's impending 2024 contract renewal on his list of top priorities. Vasseur has been quite open about his intent to secure his driver's future and craft a fortified, unified path going forward.