Extending Charles Leclerc’s contract remains at the top of Vasseur’s priorities
Teams do not like taking risks, they play for the long term. That's why the renewal of Charles Leclerc's contract is a key point on Frédéric Vasseur's agenda.
A breath of fresh air is being felt at Ferrari with the arrival of Frédéric Vasseur as director. On the Maranello side, it is necessary to start off on the right foot after a mediocre season. The objective is to be able to plan for the long term, and this involves extending Charles Leclerc’s contract, as he is seen as a cornerstone of the project.
The negotiations of this type revolve around two essential points: the financial aspect and technical guarantees. This is almost a formality normally, but a potential retirement of Lewis Hamilton at the end of his contract in 2023 could make things more complicated.
If this scenario remains unlikely, it is not impossible and the Monegasque driver could then have desires elsewhere. He has already witnessed the explosion of his counterpart Max Verstappen and would not want to be a spectator of George Russell’s rise, another driver of his generation.
If the Scuderia is able to guarantee Charles Leclerc a car capable of winning the championship, the risk of him leaving would then become minimal, as the young driver has repeatedly expressed his attachment to his dream team. “In 2020, I signed a new long-term contract. In my situation, it was a dream: I have always dreamt of representing Ferrari. It was an incredible opportunity and, obviously, I signed without hesitation,” he declared during his contract extension in 2020.
(I) I also think that from the team’s point of view, it’s good to have a long-term vision regarding development, we shouldn’t rush. (…) This vision allows us to accumulate experience with the team. Therefore, I think it’s beneficial for both them and me, he added.
Reliability and strategic choices were definitely the weaknesses of Ferrari last season, so progress is expected in 2023 if the team wants to ensure keeping its star. But the position of the driver has evolved since the signing of the current contract: from a promising young talent, he has become a rising star, having won numerous victories and pole positions, which can only increase his commercial value. In such a context, it is understandable that the Scuderia is concerned about losing the diamond it has shaped.
