Charles Leclerc believes the 'best is yet to come' after signing new contract at Ferrari beyond 2024 season

Charles Leclerc says he is still dreaming of winning the Formula One World Championship with Ferrari after signing a new contract beyond the end of the 2024 season.

The Italian outfit has not gone into detail about the length of the deal for the Monegasque driver, who joined Ferrari’s driver academy in 2017.

Leclerc made his F1 debut with Sauber before taking his seat with the Scuderia in 2019, where he has remained ever since.

The 26-year-old has five Grand Prix wins, the first of which came in his debut year when he became Ferrari’s youngest winner of an F1 race with victory in Belgium at the age of 21. His best performance in the season-ending driver standings is second in 2022 when he finished behind only Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

“I’m very pleased to know that I will be wearing the Scuderia Ferrari race suit for several more seasons to come,” Leclerc said in a statement.

“To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old: I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment at Ste. Devote corner and I would always look out for the red cars.

“This team is my second family ever since I joined and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years.

“However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race.

“My dream remains that of winning the World Championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy.”

Leclerc was on pole position for five of last season’s races but he was unable to convert any of them into race wins, with Verstappen taking top spot on the podium for all but one of them.

Ferrari were the only team to beat Red Bull in a race last season but it was just once, and it was achieved by Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz Jr.

Leclerc finished fifth in the overall driver standings.

“We know him for his incessant desire to push himself to the limit and we appreciate his extraordinary abilities when it comes to fighting and overtaking in a race,” said Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur.

“We are determined to give Charles a winning car and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”

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