Charles Leclerc could become the highest-paid F1 driver after new five-year Ferrari contract

Charles Leclerc's new contract will see a drastic salary increase in the coming years.

Charles Leclerc could become the highest-paid F1 driver after new five-year Ferrari contract

Charles Leclerc (via IMAGO)

Charles Leclerc recently extended his stay at Scuderia Ferrari. Although, the tenure of this new contract has not been released. It is clear that the Monegasque driver has signed a long-term deal with Maranello. Now, new details have finally emerged about Leclerc’s massive extension.

As per Corriere della Sera, the 26-year-old has signed a five-year deal with Ferrari. However, this includes a break clause where Leclerc could leave Maranello after 2026 if the team fails to give him a good car. Or else, Charles Leclerc will race for the Prancing Horse till at least 2028.

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In terms of salary, Leclerc would see a raise of $6 million, from the current $24 million to $30 million. However, this figure will grow if the Monegasque does not activate the exit clause after 2026. Charles Leclerc’s salary is expected to grow each season upto a staggering $50 million by 2028. This would make Leclerc the highest-paid driver in F1. Notably, this sum excludes bonuses.

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Presently, Max Verstappen is the highest earner on the F1 grid. The Dutch driver received $45 million in base salary last season with $25 million in bonuses.

Has Charles Leclerc made the right call to continue with Ferrari?

Charles Leclerc has raced for the Scuderia since 2019. During this period, the Monegasque driver build the team around himself. So much so, that Maranello decided not to renew its contract with four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in 2020. On the other, Leclerc was awarded the longest contract in Ferrari’s history, something which even Michael Schumacher never received.

Charles Leclerc and Fred Vasseur
Charles Leclerc and Fred Vasseur (via IMAGO)

However, Leclerc has failed to achieve his dream of winning the world title with the Italian team so far. The 26-year-old challenged Max Verstappen for the championship in 2022. Unfortunately, driver errors, poor strategy calls and reliability woes forced him out of the title fight.

In 2023, Ferrari fell further behind Red Bull. Subsequently, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz had no chance to challenge the reigning world champions. Moreover, Leclerc failed to win a single race throughout the season. This could suggest that perhaps the 26-year-old could’ve looked at his alternatives befoe committing with the Scuderia. However, the Prancing Horse was the best bet for the Monegasque driver.

Ferrari was realistically the only option for Leclerc. The 26-year-old has been a part of Maranello since 2016 and would be looking to win the F1 title with the team. Although, it remains to be seen if Charles Leclerc could become an F1 world championship with Scuderia Ferrari.

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