Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari will have another opportunity to win a Formula 1 race before the end of the 2026 season after finishing second at the United States Grand Prix. The Monegasque delivered an impressive performance in Austin, battling Max Verstappen from the opening lap and showing particularly strong pace on the hard tyres in the final stint. Although victory remained out of reach against Kimi Antonelli, Charles Leclerc left Texas with renewed confidence in the SF-26.
The Ferrari driver was one of the main protagonists throughout Sunday’s race at the Circuit of the Americas. His pace remained competitive across the Grand Prix, becoming especially impressive on the hard compound as he overtook Max Verstappen to claim second place. However, Kimi Antonelli’s outstanding performance ultimately kept the Mercedes driver beyond Ferrari’s reach.
Charles Leclerc enjoys Austin battles but regrets missed victory
Reflecting on his second-place finish at COTA, Charles Leclerc emphasised how intense and entertaining the race had been, while admitting some disappointment at missing out on victory.
“I enjoyed myself, yes, I really enjoyed myself. The start was fun, and the battles with Lando and Max later on were really good too. It was one of those races where you’re never bored in the cockpit and there’s always something to fight for.”
Kimi Antonelli’s tyre management also surprised Charles Leclerc, who admitted that he had briefly considered the possibility of victory after seeing the Mercedes driver commit to a one-stop strategy.
“At one point I even thought victory was possible when I saw Kimi opting for the one-stop strategy. According to our data, he should have started struggling more towards the end of the race. In the end, he never really had a tyre crisis, but yes, it was a good race. It’s just a shame to have come so close to victory.”
Ferrari’s hopes of challenging for the win therefore depended partly on whether the Mercedes would experience a significant decline in tyre performance. That deterioration never materialised, leaving Charles Leclerc unable to close the gap despite his strong pace towards the finish.
Ferrari’s two-stop strategy and Charles Leclerc’s battle with Max Verstappen
Asked about Ferrari’s strategic decisions, Charles Leclerc confirmed that the team had followed its original plan and believed the two-stop approach was the strongest option given the tyres available.
“Yes, I think we and Red Bull had the same view. If you also look at the tyre allocation we had available, the two-stop strategy was probably the best way forward for us.”
The decision reflected the strategic considerations that had shaped the weekend, with Ferrari and its rivals assessing how different compounds would perform over the race distance. A more detailed examination of the competing approaches is available in our analysis of Ferrari’s Austin tyre strategy and its battle with Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc also revisited the dramatic opening lap, explaining how he approached the first corner before going wheel-to-wheel with Max Verstappen through the following sequence of turns.
“The start was good. Then I didn’t want to brake too late into Turn 1, precisely because I wanted to keep the possibility of switching back on the exit. But Lewis got very close, so I had to use a bit more battery to get alongside Max through Turns 3, 4 and 5. I wasn’t really sure how it would end. It was very close side-by-side racing, but really enjoyable.”
The opening exchanges demonstrated Charles Leclerc’s determination to fight for position while managing his available energy. The Ferrari driver initially kept his options open at Turn 1 before using additional battery deployment to challenge the Red Bull through Austin’s fast direction changes.
Charles Leclerc explains Ferrari’s impressive hard-tyre pace
The final stint on the hard compound brought out some of the SF-26’s strongest performance of the afternoon. Charles Leclerc was able to push consistently on the white-marked tyres, although traffic and his battles with other drivers contributed to the time lost in his pursuit of Kimi Antonelli.
“The hard tyre, as Kimi said, was a really good tyre, and it was a compound on which I could push a lot. I kept asking my engineer what Antonelli’s pace was, but I was probably being a little too optimistic. I still wanted to try until the end, even though I lost a bit too much time in the battles with Max and Lando. In any case, even with a completely clear track, I don’t think I would have caught Kimi today. He was simply too fast.”
Despite the impressive speed shown by Ferrari on the harder compound, Charles Leclerc acknowledged that a victory would probably have remained beyond his reach even without the time lost in traffic. His assessment underlined the strength of Kimi Antonelli’s race performance, particularly the Mercedes driver’s ability to maintain competitive pace over a longer tyre stint.
The difference between the strategic approaches and compound performance can be explored through the ScuderiaFans F1 tyre and stint analysis, which allows readers to compare tyre choices and stint sequences.
Charles Leclerc identifies Ferrari’s Q3 tyre-temperature problem
Looking at the weekend as a whole, Charles Leclerc identified the final part of qualifying as the moment that potentially cost Ferrari a genuine opportunity to fight for victory. His assessment echoed the concerns expressed by Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur about the SF-26’s difficulty in bringing its tyres into the correct operating window.
“If we look at FP1, FP2 and FP3, we were very strong. Then in qualifying, right at the end in Q3, it was extremely difficult to get the tyres into the correct temperature window, and that’s probably where we lost our real chance of winning. Kimi was incredibly strong today. Looking at the weekend as a whole, I think we simply weren’t consistent enough.”
Ferrari’s strong practice performance had suggested that the car possessed the pace to compete near the front, but its difficulties during the decisive qualifying laps left Charles Leclerc facing a more complicated race. The contrast between the car’s strengths and weaknesses had already emerged during the weekend, including in the analysis of Ferrari’s cornering performance and qualifying prospects at Austin.
For Charles Leclerc, the problem was not simply the result of one difficult lap. The inability to operate the tyres within the ideal temperature range during Q3 potentially affected Ferrari’s starting position and, consequently, its opportunities during the Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc reveals improved confidence with Ferrari’s SF-26
Although victory slipped away in Austin after another close opportunity in Singapore, Charles Leclerc believes he has made an important breakthrough in understanding the SF-26. The Ferrari driver explained that his growing confidence has come from improvements in both his driving style and the way he adapts the car’s set-up.
“It’s difficult to predict whether I’ll be able to turn this momentum into a victory in the next races, because the margins are very small and it will also depend on the development plans of the other teams. However, my feeling with the car is getting better and better. These cars are very particular and unique. I feel that over the last two or three races I’ve unlocked something new in terms of driving style and, above all, adapting the set-up. By combining these two aspects, we’ve made a step forward and I feel much more comfortable with the car.”
The improvement is particularly encouraging for Ferrari because it concerns two closely connected areas of performance. Greater familiarity with the SF-26’s behaviour has helped Charles Leclerc refine his driving approach, while a better understanding of its set-up requirements has allowed him to feel more comfortable behind the wheel.
Ferrari also introduced its final significant aerodynamic update of the season at the United States Grand Prix, with changes to four important areas of the SF-26. Charles Leclerc nevertheless remained cautious about predicting future results, recognising that the narrow gaps between teams and the development programmes of Ferrari’s rivals would influence the remaining races.
Charles Leclerc expects another Ferrari victory opportunity in 2026
The Monegasque concluded with a more optimistic outlook than he had expressed at other stages of the season. Having come close to victory in Singapore and Austin, Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari can still fight for a race win before the 2026 Formula 1 championship concludes.
“I hope this will soon translate into a victory. We were very close both in Singapore and here in Austin, so I’m confident we’ll have another chance to win a race before the end of the season.”
Charles Leclerc’s growing confidence offers Ferrari encouragement heading into the final part of the championship. The challenge now is to translate that progress into a complete weekend, combining the strong race pace demonstrated at Austin with more consistent qualifying performance. With only small margins separating the leading teams, another opportunity could depend on delivering both elements together.
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