Ferrari ties down Leclerc for just two more years

Charles Leclerc has ended speculation about his future by signing a new Ferrari contract that will keep him in red for at least the next several seasons.

Ferrari announced the agreement on Wednesday, stating only that Leclerc has renewed for "the coming seasons", without disclosing the exact duration.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport journalist Giulia Toninelli, the deal is believed to run through 2027 and 2028, with options beyond that.

"The terms of this new contract are unknown, as is now standard practice in Formula 1, but the agreement is expected to be for two years with an option for extension, like the one Leclerc already signed two years ago," she reported.

French outlet Sportune claims the arrangement gives Leclerc significant control over his future, with options covering 2029 and 2030 potentially worth a total package of 184 million euros.

That would reportedly lift Ferrari’s combined driver bill with Lewis Hamilton beyond 100 million euros per season, making it the highest-paid driver lineup in Formula 1.

The announcement comes after repeated speculation over whether Leclerc’s patience with Ferrari was finally running out.

Auto Motor und Sport believes the Monegasque simply had nowhere better to go.

"The lack of opportunities was eating away at the talented driver," the German publication wrote.

"Last year, rumours of a possible departure surfaced frequently. Aston Martin, with its new engine partner Honda and design genius Adrian Newey, seemed to have piqued his interest.

"However, after the disastrous start to the 2026 season, the project is not an option for Leclerc."

Mercedes was also effectively unavailable, with championship leader Kimi Antonelli and George Russell already in place, while Toto Wolff is still believed to rate Max Verstappen as his preferred longer-term target.

The contract announcement nevertheless aligns with comments Leclerc made only days ago, when he spoke warmly about his relationship with Ferrari.

"The joy, the desire to win, the passion... they’re exactly the same as they were in my first year," he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"The only thing that makes me feel at home here is the relationships I’ve built with the people. At Ferrari, they’ve seen me grow, and we’ve been through good times and bad times together."

Leclerc also praised teammate Hamilton, whose arrival has helped reshape Ferrari’s internal culture.

"A driver who has won as much as Lewis has a very precise working method, one that in some ways has opened my mind," he said.

"I’ve been very fortunate in my career. I’ve had incredibly talented teammates, and each of them has given me something and allowed me to grow."

Reflecting on his Ferrari journey since joining the team in 2019, Leclerc admitted experience has changed his outlook.

"Today I’m much more patient, because when you’re young you experience every situation with great emotion, but now I’ve learned to look beyond the individual incident," he said.

"This has allowed me to overcome even some major disappointments."

The renewal comes as Ferrari continues pushing aggressively to close the gap to Mercedes.

Ferrari ambassador Marc Gene believes Monaco presents a major opportunity.

"We’re going to be very competitive in Monaco," he told Mundo Deportivo.

"If you look at the first sector in Canada, which had the slowest corners, we were really fast there, on par with Mercedes, and historically Ferrari has always done very well in Monaco."

Gene also confirmed further upgrades are on the way.

"For Barcelona the following week, from what I’ve heard, we’ll be bringing aerodynamic upgrades," he said. "There won’t be any engine upgrades yet, if they even give them to us, I hope so, from ADUO.

"But in Monaco I think we’re bigger favourites, we have a better chance."