Charles Leclerc is set to be announced as a Ferrari driver today, after multiple Italian sources have reported that a Ferrari meeting in Maranello today should end with an announcement of Kimi’s departure and Leclerc’s arrival for 2019.
According to La Gazetta dello Sport, Leclerc and Ferrari have agreed to a 2 year contract.
Following that announcement, one expects Kimi Raikkonen to exit F1, as he doesn’t have any existing offers. None of the midfield teams can afford him and the only team that could, has already confirmed Sainz and Norris as the driver lineup for 2019.
With the Leclerc rumours going all around, the Mercedes social media team decided to have some fun as well, as they ‘announced Leclerc’ for Ferrari in a funny little way.
Having posted an image of Valtteri enjoying his champagne on the podium at Monza, Mercedes were asked to ‘announce Leclerc’ by one of their fans.
#ThirstyThursday 💙🇫🇮😜 pic.twitter.com/czBxX3QNpi
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) September 6, 2018
Announce Leclerc
— Daniel (@ffsleclerc) September 6, 2018
They came up with a tweet reading ‘CONFIRMED: Charles Leclerc is officially a Ferrari (Driver Academy) driver.’
CONFIRMED: Charles Leclerc is officially a Ferrari (Driver Academy) driver.#NailedIt #NotBreakingNews
— Mercedes-AMG F1 (@MercedesAMGF1) September 6, 2018
However, as Will Buxton rightly pointed out Leclerc had earlier confirmed that once the Ferrari academy drivers make the leap into F1, they are not considered as Ferrari academy drivers anymore.
Actually, according to Charley boy himself, once Ferrari’s academy drivers hit F1 they’re no longer considered part of the academy… pic.twitter.com/bW57wCHP2X
— Will Buxton (@wbuxtonofficial) September 6, 2018
How do you think Ferrari will announce Leclerc and what would the future hold for Kimi Raikkonen?
