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According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, Ferrari will hand Charles Leclerc a long-term contract, while Carlos Sainz will only get a one-year extension despite wanting a two-year contract.
Leclerc's contract length will be five years, tying him to the Italian team until 2029. According to the Italian media outlet, the Monagasque will also receive a hefty pay rise, starting at €25,000,000 per season and rising to €50,000,000 per season until the end of the contract.
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Soon after the report surfaced on social media platforms, it spread like wildfire, especially since it claimed that Ferrari was favoring Charles Leclerc more than Carlos Sainz.
Several F1 fans reacted to the report and sounded bemused as Sainz was the only non-Red Bull driver who won a race in the 2023 F1 season. They also gave their opinion of how Leclerc is the wunderkind for the Italian team and hoped that Sainz gets a good deal since he deserves one as well.
Here are some of the reactions:
"Ferrari is just gonna Ferrari. Sainz is better off with a one year deal," one fan commented.
"Charles is the pretty boy at Ferrari, so they'll give him anything he wants. I hope Carlos gets what he wants, he deserves it," another fan commented.
Ferrari president supports Charles Leclerc and sees him as a future world champion
Ferrari president John Elkann recently showcased his full trust in Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz. He claimed that Leclerc is a powerful driver who is a future world champion.
In a recent interview with BBC Sport, the 47-year-old expressed his trust in the team and its drivers, saying:
"Charles is a very strong pilot who has huge potential and there is no reason why he wouldn't be world champion. We believe our pilots are very strong and have very strong potential. What is important is to be able to work to convert that potential into real outcomes."
Leclerc came the closest to winning the F1 world championship in 2022 when he fought for the title with Max Verstappen. However, in the latter stages of the season, his and Ferrari's performance dropped massively, and he was unable to fight for the top spot.
