Charles Leclerc has revealed that Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur was a significant factor in his decision to sign a new contract with the Scuderia.
It was announced ahead of this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix that the Monegasque had signed a new deal, although RacingNews365 understands it is primarily an increase to his salary.
Leclerc's new contract is believed to still run until the end of 2028, but it now sees him earn an estimated €50 million annually.
With Lewis Hamilton earning a reported €60 million, the Maranello-based team is understood to have an annual driver salary bill of around €110 million. It is believed to be the first time in F1 history that a team has paid a nine-figure sum to cover its two drivers' contracts.
A Ferrari without Leclerc has become an almost unimaginable scenario, with the Monegasque's ultimate goal still being to win an F1 drivers' title in red.
However, Leclerc has failed to achieve that goal for several years, yet he continues to believe in the direction Ferrari is heading.
That direction is being led by Vasseur, someone in whom Leclerc has immense faith, to the extent that he has identified him as a key reason for agreeing to a new contract.
Asked what it is about Ferrari's project he believes in, Leclerc explained: "Mostly Fred. I mean, I’m very on board with his vision and, yeah, I really believe in Fred.
"Obviously, it’s the first car that he projected together with the team. Obviously, we are seeing lots of innovation on our car and we have a long-term vision.
"I mean, not too long, because obviously we all want to win as quickly as possible, but, yeah, as soon as possible to be back on top.
"I’m on board with this vision and I believe in this vision, so, yeah, that’s what makes me believe about this project more than ever."
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