Ferrari extends Charles Leclerc deal in multi-year pact ahead of Monaco GP
Synopsis
Ferrari has locked in Charles Leclerc on a fresh multi-year deal — and the timing, days before his home Monaco GP, is no accident. A decade after joining the academy, the Monegasque remains Maranello's bet to end an 18-year Drivers' title drought, with Mercedes still the team to beat in 2025.
Key Takeaways
Ferrari announced a new multi-year deal with Charles Leclerc on 3 June , ahead of the Monaco GP.
Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and the senior team in 2019 .
He has delivered wins at Monza in 2019 and 2024 and a home win in Monaco in 2024 .
Leclerc ranks second in Ferrari appearances behind Michael Schumacher .
Team Principal Fred Vasseur called the renewal “very natural” for the Scuderia.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has tagged Ferrari as the “team to beat” in Monaco.
Ferrari has confirmed a new multi-year contract extension with Charles Leclerc, ensuring the Monegasque driver continues racing in red for the seasons ahead. The announcement, made from Maranello on 3 June, lands just days before Leclerc's home Monaco Grand Prix and deepens a decade-long association that began when he joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016.
A decade in red
Leclerc joined Scuderia Ferrari in 2019 after debuting in Formula 1 with Sauber in 2018, having clinched the Formula 2 Championship in 2017. The 28-year-old has since become a fan favourite among the tifosi, delivering standout wins at Monza in 2019 and 2024 and an emotional home triumph in Monaco in 2024. He now ranks second on the team in appearances, trailing only Michael Schumacher.
What Leclerc said
“I couldn't be happier to continue this journey with Scuderia Ferrari HP. It has always been so much more than just a team to me. It's the team I've loved and dreamt of being part of since I was a child, and after all these years it has become a second family,” Leclerc said.
He added that being a Ferrari driver was “a dream, but it's also a responsibility I never take for granted,” pledging to keep pushing toward bringing the World Championship back to Maranello “for everyone in Maranello, and above all for the tifosi, whose passion is the heartbeat of this Scuderia.”
Vasseur backs the renewal
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur called the extension a natural step. “Charles has been part of the Ferrari family for many years now and this renewal feels like something very natural for us,” Vasseur said, praising Leclerc's growth into “one of the strongest drivers in Formula 1” and his alignment with the team's culture both on and off the track.
Monaco looms large
The timing is pointed. The contract announcement arrives ahead of Leclerc's home race, where Ferrari has historically thrived on the street circuit's low-speed, bumpy character. With less of a lap-time premium on raw straight-line speed, the Scuderia is expected to challenge despite Mercedes having won every Grand Prix so far this season.
Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has reportedly tagged Ferrari as the “team to beat” in Monaco, expecting Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to be strong contenders. A repeat of the 2024 Monaco heroics would offer a much-needed lift after a bruising Canadian Grand Prix weekend that Leclerc described as the “most difficult weekend” of his career.
What's next
The renewal locks in Ferrari's lead driver pairing alongside Hamilton for the medium term, signalling continuity as the team chases its first Drivers' title since 2007. Eyes now turn to the streets of Monte Carlo, where a strong showing could reset Leclerc's season — and validate the faith Maranello has just publicly placed in him.
Point of View
And Leclerc — academy graduate, Monaco native, tifosi darling — is the closest thing Maranello has had to a homegrown title hope in a generation. The risk is that loyalty becomes a substitute for delivery: Mercedes has swept 2025 so far, and a contract announcement on the eve of Monaco reads as much like a morale play as a sporting one. The real verdict comes from the stopwatch, not the press release.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the new Ferrari deal with Charles Leclerc?
Ferrari has signed Charles Leclerc to a new multi-year contract extension, keeping the Monegasque driver with the Scuderia for the coming seasons. The announcement was made from Maranello on 3 June, days before his home Monaco Grand Prix.
When did Charles Leclerc join Ferrari?
Leclerc joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and was promoted to the senior Scuderia team in 2019, after debuting in F1 with Sauber in 2018. He had won the Formula 2 Championship in 2017.
Why is the timing of the Leclerc contract announcement significant?
The renewal was announced just ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix, Leclerc's home race, where Ferrari has historically performed well on the low-speed street circuit. It also follows a tough Canadian GP that Leclerc called the 'most difficult weekend' of his career.
Can Ferrari challenge Mercedes at the Monaco GP?
Mercedes has won every Grand Prix so far in 2025, but Ferrari is expected to be competitive in Monaco given the circuit's character. Championship leader Kimi Antonelli has reportedly named Ferrari as the 'team to beat' in the Principality.
What did Fred Vasseur say about the renewal?
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur described the extension as 'very natural,' praising Leclerc's growth into one of the strongest drivers in Formula 1 and his alignment with the team both on and off the track.
