Charles Leclerc believes he has taken another step forward in understanding the Ferrari SF-26, but the Monegasque driver admits the car still does not feel completely natural to drive. Although his recent performances have improved, Charles Leclerc says he must continue adapting his driving style to manage characteristics that can slow him down during certain phases of a race.
For the second consecutive weekend, Charles Leclerc finished ahead of Ferrari team-mate Lewis Hamilton. However, there remains a significant difference between the two drivers in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship: Lewis Hamilton is 45 points behind championship leader Andrea Kimi Antonelli, while Charles Leclerc trails by 78 points after reducing his deficit to the seven-time world champion by six.
Charles Leclerc continues to make progress with the Ferrari SF-26
It remains difficult to describe Ferrari as a genuine title favourite when the Andrea Kimi Antonelli-Mercedes combination has won six of the opening 10 Grands Prix. At the same time, the championship is far from over, with another 12 races still to be contested.
Ferrari also have further developments available. In addition to conventional upgrades for the SF-26, the Maranello team can still use an ADUO-related token to improve the performance of its power unit. The complexity of extracting consistent performance from the new-generation systems has already been highlighted in analysis of why the 2026 Ferrari and Mercedes power units are so difficult to manage.
Former Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene, appearing as a guest on Race Anatomy, described the Ferrari SF-26 as a great car and suggested that Charles Leclerc is beginning to understand it more effectively.
Charles Leclerc still has to adapt his driving style
Charles Leclerc agreed that he had recently made progress, although he stressed that he has not yet reached the performance level he wants from himself or the car.
“I can confidently say that I have taken a step forward,” Charles Leclerc said when discussing his relationship with the SF-26. “I am not yet at the performance level I aspire to reach. There are still aspects of the car that I have to manage by adapting my driving style.”
“I cannot drive completely naturally, and that slows me down during certain phases of the race, so there is still work to do to improve. However, it was undoubtedly a step forward and I am happy about that.”
Charles Leclerc’s assessment comes after he finished second at Spa-Francorchamps, while Lewis Hamilton recovered to fourth during a Belgian Grand Prix weekend that demonstrated both the potential and the remaining limitations of the Ferrari package. The team’s overall performance is examined in the Ferrari Belgian Grand Prix review.
Why Ferrari performance can change from one weekend to another
Despite his improved understanding of the SF-26, Charles Leclerc is reluctant to assume that progress at one circuit will automatically carry over to the next. The Monegasque believes the current generation of Formula 1 cars is extremely sensitive to small variables, including the way a driver operates the car.
“I will continue to approach one race at a time because, with these cars, it is difficult to take for granted that a good weekend will be repeated at the next one,” Charles Leclerc explained. “Everything depends on the smallest details.”
“Depending on how you drive, it is never guaranteed that you will receive the same power delivery from one lap to the next, and perhaps that is precisely the frustrating aspect of these cars.”
That unpredictability is particularly important as Ferrari prepare for the Hungarian Grand Prix. Although the characteristics of the Hungaroring may appear more favourable to the SF-26 than those of Spa-Francorchamps, Charles Leclerc has already warned that Ferrari cannot simply assume Hungary will suit the car.
Ferrari’s championship challenge remains open
Ferrari’s deficit to Andrea Kimi Antonelli and Mercedes means the Italian team remain outsiders in the championship fight, particularly after Mercedes won six of the first 10 races. Nevertheless, 12 Grands Prix remain, and Ferrari still have opportunities to improve both the SF-26 chassis and its power-unit performance.
Charles Leclerc’s recent progress therefore offers encouragement, but his comments also underline how much work remains. The Ferrari driver is beginning to extract more from the SF-26, yet he still needs to adapt rather than rely entirely on his natural driving instincts. Finding a more consistent relationship between his technique, the car’s behaviour and its power delivery could be crucial to Ferrari’s chances during the second half of the season.
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