Leclerc happy to continue with Vettel at Ferrari

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has said he would be happy to continue racing alongside Sebastian Vettel in 2021.

Four-time world champion Vettel is out of contract at the end of the year while Leclerc’s deal runs until 2024.

Lewis Hamilton and Daniel Ricciardo are also coming to the end of their current deals with both linked with a move to Ferrari.

In Hamilton’s case it was a rumour he was keen to stamp out, taking to social media where he claimed he was with his ‘dream team’ at Mercedes.

Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019 for what was just his second season of Formula 1.

The Monegasque driver won twice, in Belgium and Italy, and claimed seven pole positions.

Vettel by contrast won just once after team orders were employed to manufacture a one-two result for the Scuderia in Singapore.

Tensions also ran high at Interlagos during the Brazilian Grand Prix when the pair came together, eliminating themselves from the race.

Despite those moments of heightened tension, Leclerc claimed his is happy to race alongside Vettel.

“Even though we had a few problems on track like in Brazil and things like this, I’m very happy with Seb and it has always been a good relationship even if from the outside it’s probably not seen as it was,” Leclerc said.

“It has always been good between us so I would be happy to keep him but I will respect Ferrari’s decision for whoever is next to me.

“At the end of the day it’s my job to adapt to the person next to me and you can always learn from whoever is your team-mate.

“I would welcome anybody but if Seb stays I would definitely be happy.”

A total of 14 of the current crop of drivers are out of contract come the end of the year, including Ferrari’s junior driver Antonio Giovinazzi who currently races with Alfa Romeo.

In January, Max Verstappen inked a new deal with Red Bull which will keep him at the Milton Keynes-based squad until the end of 2023.