Leclerc satisfied after his first laps at Fiorano in the new Ferrari SF-26, as the first feedback from the Monegasque driver emerges.
The first sensations at the wheel of the new Ferrari SF-26 are positive. Charles Leclerc completed his first kilometres with the 2026 car on the Fiorano circuit, on a day affected by mixed weather conditions but full of significance for the team and the fans.
Leclerc explained how the changing conditions did not allow for an in-depth analysis of the car’s behaviour, while still leaving encouraging feelings. “It feels really very good. It is obviously a very exciting moment. The feeling itself is difficult to describe, also because the conditions were strange, half wet and half dry.”
Leclerc sets the first objective for the Ferrari SF-26
Despite this, the Monegasque driver underlined how everything went according to the plan established by the team. “It’s difficult to go into details, but everything went as expected.”
At such an early stage, the main objective was not performance. The priority was to verify that all systems were functioning correctly, a fundamental aspect with a completely new set of regulations. “There were no major problems or unexpected issues, and that is good news with such a significant regulatory change.”
“On a day like this, when you only do a few laps, it’s not about performance. It’s just about checking that everything works properly, and that was the case.” Beyond the technical aspects, Charles Leclerc also spoke about the emotional side of the day, made special by the presence of fans in the Fiorano grandstands. “It’s always something extremely special. I remember the first time at Fiorano, there were already a lot of fans and I was quite shocked, I didn’t expect it.”
The atmosphere was no different this time either. “Today there were fans everywhere around the track and that makes working and driving for Ferrari something unique. Thank you very much for all the support.”
The real work will begin in the coming days, when the SF-26 will be pushed closer to its limits. “I’m very excited because next week in Barcelona it will be more about starting to look for the limits of the car. Today I didn’t push, that wasn’t the purpose. From next week we will really start to understand what the limits of these new cars are, and for that I am very, very excited.”
As the SF-26 heads toward its first official pre-season test, the quiet confidence radiating from the Ferrari garage suggests a team that has done its homework. While the Fiorano shakedown was merely a curtain-raiser, the lack of technical glitches and Charles Leclerc’s clear enthusiasm provide a solid foundation for what promises to be one of the most unpredictable seasons in the modern era of Formula 1.
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