Charles Leclerc secured his first victory of the 2026 Formula 1 season at the British Grand Prix on July 5, ending a 37-race winless streak for the Ferrari driver. This landmark win at Silverstone also marked Ferrari’s 250th Formula 1 World Championship victory.
The victory followed a challenging period for Leclerc, who recorded retirements in Monaco and Barcelona, alongside an eighth-place finish in Austria. During this difficult phase, Leclerc openly considered adopting teammate Lewis Hamilton’s driving style to improve performance.
Riccardo Ceccarelli, Leclerc’s long-time mental coach from Formula Medicine, commented on this approach. Ceccarelli believes that attempting to mirror Hamilton’s setup choices, including the adoption of Carbon Industrie brake discs, was detrimental.
Riccardo Ceccarelli stated that blindly copying another driver’s configuration effectively means giving up part of one’s own identity behind the wheel, which he insisted does not reflect Charles Leclerc’s character or mentality.
Leclerc himself acknowledged contemplating a change to his driving style to emulate Hamilton. However, he ultimately decided to maintain his own approach and find a way to work ‘around the car.’
This decision, described as a ‘philosophical change,’ coincided with a significant improvement in the SF-26’s performance at Silverstone. The car appeared perfectly suited to Leclerc’s natural driving style.
Ferrari’s SF-26 has demonstrated an exceptional chassis platform this season, performing strongly in low-speed and medium-speed corners. The car also features impressive launch efficiency, often allowing drivers to gain positions at the start.
Despite these strengths, the SF-26 has faced a power unit deficit, estimated at approximately 30 horsepower compared to Mercedes. Ferrari introduced an upgraded power unit in Austria, contributing to their improved showing at Silverstone.
Leclerc admitted that online criticism during his struggles was difficult, stating he tried to ‘cancel that noise’ and focus on regaining his feeling with the car. His Silverstone triumph is seen as a major psychological turning point.
Ferrari, with Fred Vasseur as Team Principal, now aims to build on this momentum. The team is preparing for the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix at Spa-Francorchamps.
