Charles Leclerc's Ferrari F1 deal extended until end of 2024 season
Charles Leclerc has extended his contract with the Ferrari Formula 1 team, in a deal that means he will stay at the squad until at least the end of 2024
Leclerc joined Ferrari for 2019 after just one season in F1 with Sauber, replacing Kimi Raikkonen alongside Sebastian Vettel.
He secured Ferrari's first win of the year in the Belgian Grand Prix in September, although victory in Bahrain in just his second race for the team was on the cards until a late engine issue.
He went on to win again in the Italian Grand Prix, and would finish fourth in the standings ahead of his four-time world champion team-mate Vettel.
Leclerc also grabbed seven pole positions, the most achieved by any driver in 2019.
"I am very happy to be staying on with Scuderia Ferrari," said Leclerc.
"This past season, driving for the most illustrious team in Formula 1 has been a dream year for me.
"I cannot wait to enjoy an even deeper relationship with the team after what has been an intense and exciting 2019.
"I'm keen to see what the future holds and I can't wait to get going again next season."
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Team boss Mattia Binotto added: "With each passing race this year, our wish to extend our contract with Charles became ever more self-evident and the decision means he will now be with us for the next five seasons.
"It demonstrates that Charles and the Scuderia have a firm future together.
"Charles has been part of our family since 2016 and we are more than proud of the results we are achieving with our Academy.
"We are therefore very pleased to be able to announce that he will be with us for many years to come and I'm sure that together, we will write many new pages in the history of the Prancing Horse."
Leclerc established himself as the leading Ferrari driver throughout the season, and his partnership with Vettel became one of the focal points of the year.
The most recent example of the tension between them was in the Brazilian Grand Prix, where contact led to both retiring.
Leclerc and Vettel will form Ferrari's line-up again in 2020, the German's contract expiring at the end of next year.
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