Ferrari confirms Leclerc deal stretches to 2022 “at least”
Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has confirmed that Charles Leclerc -the team’s new recruit for the 2019 season – has a deal to keep him at Ferrari until at least 2022.
It was confirmed on Tuesday that Leclerc, currently driving at Sauber in his maiden Formula 1 season, will replace Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2019 as part of a multi-year deal.
Reigning Formula 2 champion Leclerc has risen through the junior ranks as a Ferrari Academy Driver, having signed to join the programme at the end of 2015.
Ferrari team principal Arrivabene detailed that Leclerc’s new deal will keep him at the team until at least 2022.
“Leclerc is not a big surprise, he’s one of the talented drivers that we have in F1,” he said during Friday’s FIA press conference.
“Thank God, it’s a guy that he grew up with us and I hope that he is going to continue his career with us, at least until 2022 for sure.”
Arrivabene also noted that Ferrari is following a positive pattern of young drivers being introduced to F1 at present.
“If you look at the overall situation in the paddock, it’s an important sign that all the talent they are giving to F1,” he said.
“Look at Mercedes. They make a choice a couple of years ago with Bottas, a young driver, nearby a champion like Hamilton.
“This guy of McLaren for next year [Lando Norris]: they have Carlos Sainz with a guy that is considered a rookie.
“Next year Sauber have Kimi with Mr question mark and if you look at Red Bull they were brave enough to have Verstappen nearby Gasly.
“There is nothing strange in all of this but I think the good signal to F1 is that we are striving to look for [and] to create the future champions.”
Leclerc is the first driver to have reached a Ferrari race seat as a result of the team’s academy. Antonio Giovinazzi, who made his F1 debut as a stand-in for the injured Pascal Wehrlein for two races at Sauber last season, was the first to participate in a grand prix.
Giovinazzi is currently the team’s reserve driver but is strongly rumoured to be in contention to replace Marcus Ericsson at Sauber, with the seat set to be filled by a driver chosen by Ferrari-linked title sponsor Alfa Romeo.
Arriabene noted; “You will see about the future of Giovinazzi I think in the next few weeks, so I’m not concerned at all.”