Charles Leclerc has stated he is not yet operating at his desired performance level, despite a recent upturn in form for Ferrari. The Monegasque driver has acknowledged making a step forward in his understanding of the SF-26.
Leclerc experienced significant challenges earlier in the 2026 Formula 1 season. He struggled particularly around the Monaco, Canadian, and Barcelona Grands Prix. Issues included difficulties with braking and a general lack of balance and feel from the car.
A pivotal moment occurred on Friday evening during the British Grand Prix weekend. Leclerc identified a specific detail within Ferrari’s telemetry data. This discovery provided insight into how he needed to adjust his driving style to extract more performance from the SF-26.
This breakthrough at Silverstone directly contributed to his first victory of the 2026 season. Following this, Leclerc secured a second-place finish at the Belgian Grand Prix. These results mark his first successive podiums of the current campaign.
Ferrari Team Principal Fred Vasseur admitted the team did not anticipate such strong results at Silverstone and Spa. These circuits were not expected to suit the SF-26’s characteristics.
The 2026 season has seen Ferrari demonstrate gradual improvement in both single-lap pace and race performance. Lewis Hamilton secured a victory for the Scuderia in Barcelona, preceding Leclerc’s triumph at Silverstone.
The SF-26 represents the first car of a new regulatory cycle, featuring movable front aerodynamics and an increased role for hybrid energy in the power unit. While the chassis is considered strong, the power unit has shown a deficit compared to benchmarks.
Ferrari has pursued an aggressive upgrade strategy throughout the season, introducing updates at most of the initial nine rounds. Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff previously commented on Ferrari’s rapid development pace.
However, Ferrari opted to pause its upgrade programme for the Belgian Grand Prix. This decision followed a period of consistent development.
Leclerc maintains that he still needs to ‘drive around’ certain characteristics of the SF-26. He stated that he cannot drive entirely naturally, which impacts his pace in specific race segments.
His current perspective follows a declaration made in December 2025, where he described the 2026 season as ‘now or never’ for Ferrari to achieve competitiveness. Leclerc signed a new contract extension with Ferrari in June 2026, committing his future beyond the 2030 season.
The challenge for Leclerc and Ferrari remains to fully align the car’s performance with his natural driving style. This ongoing process aims to consistently maximise the SF-26’s potential.
