Charles Leclerc echoes Lewis Hamilton’s concerns over Ferrari’s pace deficit to Mercedes in Shanghai. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton agree that Ferrari must improve their power.

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have both highlighted the urgent need for Ferrari to improve their power unit after Mercedes continued to demonstrate a significant advantage during Sprint Qualifying for the Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton was the fastest Ferrari driver on Friday, finishing fourth in SQ1, six-tenths of a second off George Russell’s benchmark pole time. Leclerc was slightly further back, securing sixth place on the timesheets.

Heading into Shanghai, Ferrari had been regarded as the team most likely to challenge Mercedes, yet McLaren’s performance suggested the competition is intensifying. Lando Norris finished “best of the rest” in third, while Oscar Piastri managed to split the two Ferrari cars, indicating that the reigning champions have made noticeable progress over the past week. This development served as a reminder that Ferrari cannot rely solely on their previous qualifying pace and must continue to refine their package to stay competitive.

Leclerc, speaking to the media after Sprint Qualifying, indicated that Mercedes appear to have taken a clear step forward in qualifying trim, leaving Ferrari unable to match their single-lap performance. He recalled that during Melbourne qualifying, he had been eight-tenths of a second off Russell’s pace before challenging the Briton for victory after a strong start in the race. While this gave him reason for cautious optimism regarding race pace, it also reinforced the challenge Ferrari face in extracting comparable performance over one lap. Leclerc emphasized that despite improvements in race conditions, Mercedes’ power unit continues to provide a clear edge in qualifying, and Ferrari must identify the underlying reasons preventing them from matching that lap time.

Lewis Hamilton echoed similar concerns, stressing that Ferrari have substantial work to do on their engine. The Mercedes power unit, he suggested, currently dominates straight-line performance, leaving Ferrari struggling to close the gap despite having competitive cornering speed. Hamilton referenced ongoing scrutiny over Mercedes’ engine following last winter’s fuel compression controversy but made it clear that Ferrari must take the initiative to enhance their own package.

He noted that McLaren’s strong straight-line pace, combined with their recent updates, underscores the need for Ferrari to push harder from Maranello to regain competitiveness. While Ferrari cars perform well through corners, Hamilton indicated that the deficit in power on the straights remains a limiting factor, and closing this gap is critical for the team’s championship ambitions. He also pointed out that Ferrari were aware last year that Mercedes had started development earlier than most teams, giving the Silver Arrows an early advantage. That early investment in engine performance, he observed, has contributed to Mercedes’ current edge.

Hamilton stressed that Ferrari must step up their efforts and maximize every aspect of their power unit to reduce the disadvantage. While the car’s balance and handling remain strong through corners, the straight-line deficit continues to define the gap to Mercedes. Both drivers’ comments underline a shared recognition within the Scuderia that improving the engine remains a top priority if Ferrari hopes to contend consistently at the front in China and throughout the 2026 season.