A few days ago, Ferrari officially confirmed the extension of the contract with Charles Leclerc, although they did not say for how long. But apparently the Monaco driver will compete for the Scuderia until at least 2026 and his bank account will be replenished with an impressive amount of money in that time.
The Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, which is usually well informed about Ferrari’s affairs, writes that Leclerc’s contract includes a condition that allows him to leave the team after 2026 if Maranello cannot provide him with a car with which he can can fight for victory in the championship. If Charles does not want to take advantage of this condition, he will compete for the Scuderia until 2028.
Since his current contract expires at the end of this year, and the new one was announced in advance, it actually appears that Charles has a 5-year commitment with Ferrari. According to the publication, this also entailed a revision of the financial agreements, and this year he will receive not $ 24 million, but $ 30 million, not counting bonuses.
Bonuses for race wins and the title, if he wins it, will earn Leclerc another $20 million. In addition, the contract also includes a gradual increase in financial compensation if the driver continues to compete for the Scuderia after 2026 – only then will his base salary reach $50 million
As for Carlos Sainz, Leclerc’s teammate, his negotiations with Ferrari continue, but there is no news yet on this subject, which makes us think about the reasons for this situation. One of the most obvious explanations is the interest in the Spanish driver from other possible employers, especially Audi, whose factory team will make its Formula 1 debut in 2026.
Source: F1 News
I am Christopher Clyde, an experienced journalist and content writer with a passion for sports. I have been writing about Formula 1 news for the past five years and am currently employed as an author at athletistic.com, one of the top sports websites in the US.
