Young Monaco driver Charles Leclerc will replace Finnish veteran Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari next season with the former world champion returning to Sauber where he started his career, both Formula One teams announced on Tuesday.
The 20-year-old Leclerc — a Ferrari Driver Academy graduate — is a rising star of the sport, won GP3 in 2016 and Formula 2 in 2017, before making his debut in F1 this season with the Sauber team.
Charles Leclerc.
“Scuderia Ferrari announces that, at the end of the 2018 season, Kimi Raikkonen will step down from his current role,” the team said in a statement. “..In the next Formula One racing season, Charles Leclerc will drive for the team alongside Sebastian Vettel,” it added.
- Name: Charles Leclerc
- Age: 21
- F-1 career: GPs started: 14
- Teams: Sauber (2018), Ferrari (from 2019)
- Best result: Sixth in Azerbaijan
“Dreams do come true,” Leclerc posted on twitter. “I’ll be driving for @scuderiaferrari for the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship.”
Leclerc has had a promising start to his rookie season, finishing sixth at the Azerbaijan GP, with 16 points from 14 races.
He has been nurtured by the Scuderia Ferrari for several years and is managed by Nicolas Todt, son of former Ferrari team principal and current FIA president Jean Todt.
“I will be eternally grateful to @scuderiaferrari for the opportunity given. To @nicolastodt for supporting me since 2011. To my family,” Leclerc added.
