‘Leclerc spoke to Mercedes and Red Bull before agreeing new £160m Ferrari deal’

But he spoke to Mercedes, Red Bull, Alpine and Aston Martin before committing himself to his existing employers.

The Monegasque driver will tie himself to the famous Italian manufacturer for the next five years with the mega-deal, Sportune reports.

The contract would be structured as a two-year deal until the end of 2026, with the option to extend it until 2029.

The total £160m worth means he would be paid £32m per year, although this could be raised to £43m by the fifth year of the deal.

Leclerc would have the longest contract on the entire F1 grid if the deal goes through.

However, this news does come from the same source who reported details of a new Lewis Hamilton contract earlier this season which Mercedes swiftly denied.

Leclerc, of course, is regularly named as one of the drivers who could replace Hamilton, whose current contract expires at the end of this year, at Mercedes.

Leclerc has regularly maintained his dream of winning the F1 championship in the famous red of Ferrari.

They have been winless since Kimi Raikkonen’s triumph in 2007.