Scuderia Ferrari‘s plans continue under the guidance and vision of team principal Frederic Vasseur. The team will present their 2024 car on February 13th. This will be the same date they conduct their filming day and take the car on track, as reported by Formu1a.uno.
At the same time, the Frenchman is carrying out a campaign to strengthen Maranello’s technical team. As revealed during the Christmas lunch with the accredited press, Vasseur has continued talks for the renewals of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz,
Charles Leclerc and Ferrari agree to multi-year agreement
Talks that began after the end of last season, with Frederic Vasseur always at the forefront on this topic and never overtaken by Benedetto Vigna, carrying forward his line of thought, which consisted of wanting to confirm the current driver line-up. However, the offers given to the two drivers over winter were quite different.
The Monegasque is a talent who grew up at Ferrari. The team followed much of his development, from the minor categories up to his debut in F1.
Negotiations between the parties have continued in recent weeks with the mutual desire to find an agreement and continue this relationship. The ‘gap’ to be closed was smaller than the one that still exists between Ferrari and Carlos Sainz, with whom the talks can be considered at a standstill.
The Team Principal had set himself the goal of signing the new agreements before the start of the new sporting season, and today’s announcement is an important first step in this direction.
However, the decision to announce Leclerc’s deal individually speaks to the slowdown in talks with Sainz that we anticipated last week.
The Monegasque thus ties his future even more to the Maranello house. Having arrived at Ferrari in 2019 in place of Kimi Raikkonen, the Monegasque has become an idol of Ferrari fans. His brilliant overtakes, stunning qualifying laps and unwavering commitment to Maranello have increased his popularity within the family.
Both Leclerc and Ferrari have been disappointed by the failures of recent years. Still, there has always been a mutual commitment to continue and work towards a world title. The new regulations in 2026 represent an especially important opportunity in this regard.
Frederic Vasseur, Ferrari Team Principal:
“Charles’ bond with the Scuderia goes beyond that of a driver with his team. Leclerc has been part of the Ferrari family for eight years now, since before he wore the tracksuit with the Prancing Horse.
“The DNA of our company, as well as his values, are part of him, and it was therefore natural to agree on the renewal of our collaboration.
“We know his incessant desire to overcome his limits, and we appreciate his great ability to duel and overtake in races.
“We are determined to give Charles a winning car, and I know that his decision and his commitment will be elements that can make the difference to the goals we want to achieve.”
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari Driver #16:
“I am very happy to continue wearing the Scuderia Ferrari suit in the coming seasons. Competing for this team has been my dream since I was three years old. I saw the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s house and at the Ste. Devote curve – [and] I looked for the red car.
“This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016, and together, we have fought through adversity and written unforgettable pages over the past five years.
“However, I believe that the best is yet to come, and I can’t wait to start this season to try to make the team progress further and put us in a position to be competitive at every race.
“My dream remains to win the title with Ferrari, and I am sure that in the years that await us together, we will be able to get some great satisfaction and give the fans something to rejoice about.”
Authors: Paolo D’Alessandro & Piergiuseppe Donadoni
Translation: Jaden Diaz-Ndisang
