Ferrari signs Leclerc to race alongside Vettel

Along with the departure of Kimi Raikkonen to Sauber, Scuderia Ferrari will welcome Charles Leclerc to Maranello from 2019. The signing of the 20-year-old Monegasque ends a long time of speculation thanks to his promising performances at Sauber.

“It has been a great pleasure to support Charles Leclerc in his rookie year in Formula One", said Frédéric Vasseur, CEO of Sauber Motorsport.

"Since his arrival, he has given the team great motivation. We have constantly improved and we will work hard until the end of this season to achieve the best possible results together. We are aware of Charles’ talent and are confident that he will have a bright future. We will keep on following him closely and we wish him the best on his path."

Part of the Ferrari Driver Academy, he won the GP3 Series championship in 2016 and the FIA Formula 2 Championship in 2017. In 2018, he joined Sauber to make his debut in Formula One.