Leclerc was due to be out of contract at the end of the coming campaign, but after joining Ferrari in 2019, the 26-year-old’s allegiance will now push close to a decade.

Neither Ferrari nor Leclerc has confirmed the exact length of the latest agreement, however, the Monégasque has stated it is “for several more seasons to come”.

Leclerc added: “To race for this team has been my dream since I was three years old.

“I used to watch the Monaco Grand Prix from the window of a friend’s apartment at Ste. Devote corner, and I would always look out for the red cars.

“This team is my second family ever since I joined the Ferrari Driver Academy in 2016 and we have achieved a lot together, fighting through thick and thin over the past five years.

“However, I believe the best is yet to come and I can’t wait for this season to start, to make further progress and be competitive at every race.

“My dream remains that of winning the world championship with Ferrari and I’m sure that in the years ahead, we will enjoy great times together and make our fans happy.”

In his five seasons to date with Ferrari, Leclerc has won five grands prix, and scored 30 additional podiums, as well as 23 pole positions.

In 2022, after winning two of the first three races and finishing second in the other, Leclerc threatened to end Ferrari’s long wait for a drivers’ champion, with its last success in 2007 with Kimi Raikkonen.

But the season soon started to unravel as unreliability, combined with personal mistakes and errors from the pit wall combined to ensure he finished a long way adrift of champion Max Verstappen in second place.

Last season was one of additional bitter disappointment for Leclerc as Ferrari was rarely competitive, yet he long insisted he wanted to remain with the team.

Team principal Fred Vasseur has faith the Scuderia will propel Leclerc back on to the top of the podium.

“Charles’ bond to the Scuderia goes beyond that of just a driver and a team, as he has been part of the Ferrari family for eight years now, dating back to a time before he first sported the Prancing Horse emblem on his race suit,” said Vasseur, referring to when Leclerc joined the Ferrari Academy in 2016.

“His values and those of our team are intertwined and so it was natural for us to be in agreement on extending our collaboration.

“We know him for his incessant desire to push himself to the limit and we appreciate his extraordinary abilities when it comes to fighting and overtaking in a race.

“We are determined to give Charles a winning car, and I know that his determination and commitment are elements that can make the difference in helping us reach our goals.”

With a new deal for Leclerc confirmed, it now remains to be seen how quickly Carlos Sainz will follow suit as the Spaniard is out of contract at the end of the season.

Vasseur previously stated he is prepared to bide his time. Sainz has made clear he wants a new contract before for the season starts.