David Coulthard: “Leclerc has probably had one of the biggest pay rises of anyone in motorsport”

Like most of us, David Coulthard didn’t see either deal coming this quickly and is full of praise for both teams taking such decisive action. “I didn’t expect it,” says the 13-time grand prix winner and Channel 4 commentator. “But in Ferrari’s case, it only takes a few seconds to work out how logical it is. They have just taken away any element of doubt.

“All credit to [team principal] Mattia [Binotto] and the current team at Ferrari in seeing that. Just remove that doubt – why have any doubt that the guy is clearly a man for the future? So sign him on the longest contract possible.”

Leclerc’s new five-year deal will keep the 22-year-old at Ferrari until the end of 2024, if he stays for its duration. That’s a length of contract that is rare in F1, and is surely unprecedented for a driver entering only his third season. But as Coulthard points out, it says everything about how highly rated Leclerc is within the team, following a maiden Ferrari season in which he delivered seven pole positions – more than any other driver – and two race victories, including one on hallowed home soil at Monza.

And being a proud and true Scot, it doesn’t take Coulthard long to also point out that Leclerc is likely to have just become a very wealthy man!

“Ferrari were not dealing with an inexperienced manager,” says DC. “He is managed by Nicolas Todt, so I’m sure the ramp-up [in salary] on that contract is probably more spectacular than would have been the case for Max [at the same stage of his career] and certainly for Lewis Hamilton, who was at McLaren on the equivalent of a YTS scheme when he started…”

Somewhat unconvincingly, Coulthard adds “it’s not all about the money”, before saying “Leclerc has probably had one of the biggest pay rises of anyone involved in top-line motorsport”. If he wasn’t before, Leclerc is now entirely secure at Ferrari and the contract is cast-iron confirmation that his team has total belief in his abilities.

Where it leaves team-mate Sebastian Vettel is another question. Twelve months ago, the four-time world champion was a clear number one at Ferrari. But after a calamitous 2019, Vettel’s future at Ferrari, and in F1 at any team, is now impenetrably cloudy.

And what of Verstappen, whose new deal should keep him at Red Bull until the end of 2023? Coulthard finished his F1 driving career at Red Bull and remains on close terms with the team, but admits: “I didn’t know at all.”

“Clearly, like everyone else, Red Bull holds him in high esteem. We all knew they were looking to extend the relationship, and understandably so,” he says. “More significantly, it shows the confidence and belief Max, his father and his management have in Red Bull. As much as any of us can’t know what the future holds, they feel that there is a momentum within the Red Bull-Honda partnership which allows them to feel this is the team to commit to.”

That’s why Verstappen’s new deal is something more of a surprise than Leclerc’s. Red Bull enjoyed a good 2019 season, with Verstappen winning three times, ending the season on a high and finishing a career-best third in the championship. But his team fell a long way short of challenging Mercedes-AMG for the world title. For that reason and given his burning ambition and clear potential, there seemed to be a growing case for Verstappen to seek a move to the Silver Arrows for 2021, potentially alongside or even in place of Lewis Hamilton.

Now, instead of courting a drive with the team that has won six consecutive titles in this turbo hybrid era, Verstappen has placed all his chips on Red Bull and Honda coming good when the new technical regulations kick in for next season. Then again, perhaps he hasn’t.

“Like all these top contracts, I’m sure there will be clauses that if Ferrari don’t deliver for whatever reason Charles will become a free agent, and likewise with Max,” says Coulthard. “It’s great to see multi-year contracts being announced, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the drivers will stay for the duration of their terms.”

And although two of the biggest chess pieces have already been taken off the board (for the time being), Coulthard reckons there’s still life yet in the ‘silly season’. After all, Hamilton’s future at Mercedes is yet to be confirmed beyond this year, and the possibility still remains that he could sensationally join Leclerc at Ferrari.

“The chess game is still open,” says Coulthard, “and inevitably Sebastian, Kimi [Räikkönen] and Lewis will retire in the coming three or four years.”

Retirement for Hamilton looks unlikely right now, given how close he is to equalling and bettering Michael Schumacher’s race-win and title records – and perhaps more significantly how hungry he still appears to be. All we can be sure of right now is Ferrari and Red Bull’s fast moves have ensured that the spotlight of speculation will now be trained particularly brightly on the world champion.

Your move, Lewis.

Images courtesy of Motorsport Images.