Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene has said that Ferrari had to the future when deciding on their 2019 driver line-up, caused by the recent surge in the number of young drivers coming into F1. Charles Leclerc, who will turn 21 in October, will replace Kimi Raikkonen as Sebastian Vettel’s team-mate next season and in doing so will become the youngest Ferrari driver in 50 years.
Leclerc is a product of Ferrari’s own junior programme and progressed through the ranks quickly thanks to his impressive results in feeder series, especially his dominant run last year in Formula 2. He has also impressed at Sauber, who is linked to Ferrari thanks to their title sponsor, Alfa Romeo.