Formula 1: How will Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari deal impact Silly Season?

Charles Leclerc is officially signed with Ferrari for another five years through the 2024 Formula 1 season. How will this deal impact Silly Season?

Charles Leclerc signed with Ferrari back in September of 2018 to replace 2007 champion and most recent Ferrari champion Kimi Raikkonen beginning in the 2019 Formula 1 season.

At the time, it was stated by then team principal Maurizio Arrivabene that Leclerc would be with the team through at least the 2022 season, but there was nothing confirmed about a contract length. The only thing that was known was that he was slated to return for a second year with the team in 2020.

But earlier this week, the Italian team shored up the future of the 22-year-old rising star, signing him to a massive contract extension through the 2024 season to retain him for at least another five years after only one year with the team.

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There’s no doubt about the fact that this is a massive story, perhaps the biggest of the offseason thus far, as Leclerc is considered a future world champion with all kinds of potential after a successful first season at Ferrari in 2019.

But how will it impact Silly Season?

As stated, he was already under contract for 2020, and the 20-driver 2020 driver lineup is already completely set, so nothing changes on that front.

However, even looking toward the 2021 season, a season for which only four drivers are currently under contract, the driver lineup could be drastically shaken up and new rules and regulations, which include a budget cap that excludes driver salaries, are slated to go into effect, this confirmation really doesn’t mean a whole lot on that front, either.

All this new deal did was solidify what everybody already knew with an official signature. It literally could have come at any point within the next several seasons; it simply came early, as in just over three weeks following the end of the 2019 season.

As big as this deal was, Leclerc was never considered a major puzzle piece in any way as far as upcoming Silly Seasons are concerned, and it has been well-documented just how many big-name drivers could end up on the move even as soon as 2021 with only four drivers are under contract through 2021 as it stands right now.

So even with all that could change as far as the driver lineup is concerned, Leclerc was technically already considered one of those four.

The only thing it really impacts is the fact that it solidifies him as Ferrari’s clear number one driver moving forward, which could make the situation surrounding their second seat more interesting as 2021 approaches with four-time champion Sebastian Vettel set to enter a contract year with the Scuderia in 2020 after signing a three-year extension back in August of 2017.

But even that is a stretch. Even before Leclerc signed this deal, Vettel’s future with Ferrari was already in doubt beyond the conclusion of the 2020 season given how he has struggled to capitalize on his opportunities as of late.

There have already been several names thrown around as possible replacements for Vettel, and there have been several landing spots discussed as possibilities for the 32-year-old German in 2021 as well, including retirement.

As massive as the confirmation of Charles Leclerc at Ferrari for the next half-decade of Formula 1 racing is, it really isn’t even remotely a huge deal as it comes to future driver movement and Silly Season speculation. All it did was solidify what was already 99.9% certain.