Charles Leclerc admitted that other options had presented themselves to him before extending his contract with Ferrari until the end of the 2030 season, with still options beyond that.
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The Monegasque, however, never directly discussed with other teams, leaving his manager Nicolas Todt (photo above) to probe the market.
His absolute trust in Fred Vasseur ultimately played a decisive role in his decision to stay in Maranello.
Market study
Leclerc could have continued his career elsewhere than at Ferrari. While his new contract must now keep him within the Scuderia at least until 2030, the Monegasque revealed that his entourage had studied different possibilities before reaching an agreement with the Italian team.
Leclerc specifies, however, that he did not personally participate in any negotiations with a rival team. This task rather fell to his manager: “I think I’m lucky to be in a position where I have Nicolas, who is there to keep me informed of other possibilities and what’s going on around me. So I had no personal discussions, but my manager did.”
For Leclerc, it is essential to have a complete view of the market before making such an important decision for his future: “It’s his job to be honest with me and to give me a complete view of what’s happening in the paddock and the opportunities we might have.”
“There were other opportunities”
Leclerc thus confirms that several alternatives really existed, without however revealing the identity of the teams concerned.
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Despite these possibilities, the discussions with Ferrari did not drag on: “Yes, there were other opportunities, but in the end, we sat down with Ferrari and managed to find an agreement quite quickly. ”
The choice to stay in Maranello obviously fits into the very special relationship maintained by Leclerc with Ferrari. But one man also played an essential role in his decision: Fred Vasseur.
The Monegasque has known the Frenchman for many years and places total trust in him: “Fred is also one of the main reasons why I extended. I believe in Fred 200%. We have known each other for many years now and being able to work with him in the team I have always loved is a privilege. I therefore had no doubt that it was the right decision for me.”
Dean of the Scuderia
The relationship between the two men goes beyond the strictly professional framework. Leclerc explains that a natural connection immediately established between them: “I feel like I’ve known Fred forever. He’s the kind of person you talk to once and… I don’t know, I think it’s the values. There is simply something that worked naturally from the start and that you can’t really explain.”
This trust must now translate into results. Leclerc currently occupies fifth place in the 2026 championship, with XX points behind the leader Kimi Antonelli. His long-term commitment with Ferrari will also allow him to reach a symbolic milestone. From next season, he must become the driver who has competed in the most Grands Prix in the history of the Scuderia.
Leclerc therefore had other doors open before extending, but ultimately never really considered negotiating personally with another team. Convinced by Ferrari’s project and especially by Vasseur, the Monegasque chose to continue his story with Maranello at least until 2030, which will symbolically make him the veteran of Maranello.
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