Charles Leclerc admits 'conversations' with rival F1 teams before signing new Ferrari deal

Charles Leclerc has admitted "there have been conversations" with other Formula 1 teams before agreeing his new long-term Ferrari deal. But he insists he was only ever interested in continuing his long association with the Scuderia despite not having yet achieved his ultimate aim, following a "rational evaluation" of where the team stands.

Leclerc wants to be world champion but Ferrari have not yet given him a title-winning car. Indeed, the famous red team is in the midst of its longest championship drought ever, having not been on top of the F1 world since 2008. Yet, Leclerc's loyalty has not wavered and he remains adamant that he wants to win with Ferrari.

That's despite his manager Nicolas Todt having held some talks with other interested parties in the past. Prudently, Leclerc waited to see where Ferrari stood in F1's new era with new regulations coming into force this year. He is clearly satisfied with the position the team is in and, by signing a contract extension, the Monegasque says he followed his heart.

"I've never really considered alternatives. There have certainly been conversations, because after 10 years in this paddock you build relationships that go beyond the professional sphere," he told Motorsport.com. "Sometimes there are discussions that I consider natural, but I can confirm that those matters concern Nicolas much more than me. As far as I'm concerned, and I want to emphasize this, what I wanted to do has always been very clear."

Express Sport understands that Leclerc's new deal covers a longer term than his previous Ferrari contract, which was believed to run until 2029, committing him to the team into the 2030s. It is also believed to have given the 28-year-old a significant pay bump to bring him closer to the £50million-per-year base salary of team-mate Lewis Hamilton, though the Brit still remains the team's highest-paid driver.

But finances were, Leclerc insists, very much a secondary concern as he explained what his priority was when it came to sorting out his F1 future. He said: "The main factor is believing in the project. As for the love I have for this team, that's no longer something I need to question, so from that point of view I didn't have to think much.

"Then there's Fred [Vasseur, team principal]. We have a unique relationship and I have great confidence that he's the right person to bring Ferrari back to the top. There are also the signs we've seen this year: We're behind Mercedes, that's true, but I see a lot of innovation.

"At Maranello there's a group pushing hard, trying to think differently from the past, even outside the box. We've seen new solutions on the car, and that gave me even more confidence, convincing me that this is the team I want to be with. So, beyond my love for Ferrari, which is obvious, there was also a rational evaluation. Just as there has been with every contract renewal."