Ferrari: Agreement with Leclerc until 2029, hurdles for Saint, Norris alternative

As the Italian newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, Ferrari and Charles Leclerc have verbally agreed in principle on a contract extension until the end of 2029, i.e. a new five-year contract with an annual salary of 50 million for the Monegasque.

Instead, talks with Carlos Sainz have reportedly hit the hurdle of a contract extension, leaving the Scuderia – as the publication always says – once again considering approaching McLaren’s Lando Norris as an alternative.

Leclerc’s new contract with Ferrari will reportedly be drawn up and then signed. The announcement will take place on December 23rd, the Italian newspaper continues. But in Saint’s case, things are complicated.

The Maranello club reportedly want the Spaniard’s contract extended by a year, only until 2025, so that in 2026 they can opt for Lando Norris, who will be released from his current contract with McLaren at the end of the season. 25. However, with Saith wanting a contract extension of at least two years, his extension talks have hit a major hurdle.

According to the report, if Norris is selected by Ferrari, Saint could take the opposite path in 2026 and take over the Brit’s cockpit at McLaren or even replace Sergio Perez at Red Bull Racing from as early as 2025. According to rumors, Sauber/Audi and Alpine have also expressed interest in the Spaniard.

Ferrari builds on Leclerc

To this new information from Maranello one can add the Publication of the previous daysthat Maranello is designing the Scuderia’s 2024 car (called Project 676 at the factory) after Charles Leclerc’s distinctive driving style – which, if true, will work to Saint’s detriment in the new Formula 1 year.

Leclerc has been a Ferrari driver since 2016 and if his new five-year contract is valid, he will stay at Maranello for 13 consecutive years until he turns 31 at the end of 2029. With this latest information, it becomes increasingly likely that the Scuderia will build its near future around Monegasse.

The redesign of this year’s SF-23 in Japan – with the addition of the new floor – made the Cavallino fit Leclerc’s driving style so well that he reportedly gave the Scuderia a set of instructions for the design and driving development of the 2024 car. Measures from

Leclerc, speaking to Italian media in recent weeks, expressed satisfaction that he believed the technical direction the team took with the Suzuka changes was the right one and favored his driving style.