Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc recovered to finish fourth in the Bahrain Grand Prix at Sepang last Sunday, but his post-race radio message revealed just how unhappy he was with the Maranello team’s performance despite climbing back to his starting position.
The Monegasque had been forced into a difficult recovery after Ferrari’s decision to begin the race on slick tyres dropped both Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton towards the back of the field. Leclerc’s afternoon became even more complicated when he made an early stop for a front-wing change, yet he still worked his way through the order to finish P4.
Charles Leclerc delivers bleak assessment of Ferrari’s race pace
After the chequered flag, previously unheard radio between Charles Leclerc and race engineer Bryan Bozzi showed that the result had done little to improve his view of the SF-26’s performance. Leclerc described the race as very poor and indicated that Ferrari’s overall pace had been extremely disappointing.
He also told Bryan Bozzi that the car had felt badly out of position from his perspective. In particular, Leclerc was unhappy with the balance of the SF-26, describing it as excessively open and suggesting Ferrari had been nowhere in terms of the feeling he experienced behind the wheel.
That assessment contrasted sharply with Lewis Hamilton’s post-race impression. The seven-time world champion was encouraged by Ferrari’s race pace and by how the SF-26 felt at Sepang, while his team-mate left Malaysia frustrated by the level of performance. More developments concerning the Monegasque can be followed in the Charles Leclerc Ferrari news section.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc see Ferrari’s direction differently
The different reactions add another layer to the internal Ferrari battle during the 2026 season. There have been widespread reports of tension between Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc, with the direction of the car becoming an increasingly significant theme as the championship has progressed.
Leclerc had expected to establish himself as Ferrari’s leading driver, but the direction taken by the team appears to have worked more favourably for Hamilton and his driving style. Behind the scenes, the British driver has also been pushing for major changes within Ferrari, and the current trajectory appears to be moving in a direction that suits him.
The contrast at Sepang is therefore particularly notable. One Ferrari driver left encouraged by the SF-26’s race pace and behaviour, while the other felt the car was badly balanced and far from where it needed to be. Further coverage of Hamilton’s season and his development with the Scuderia is available in the Lewis Hamilton Ferrari news section.
Lewis Hamilton leads Ferrari team-mate battle with seven races remaining
The championship standings currently reflect that difference in momentum. Lewis Hamilton has 191 points, compared with Charles Leclerc’s 167, giving the Briton a 24-point advantage over his Ferrari team-mate.
Seven Grands Prix remain in the season, leaving plenty of time for that gap to change. The remaining rounds can be followed through the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, but the contrasting Sepang verdicts have added another point of interest to a Ferrari team-mate battle that is set to remain closely watched through the final part of the year.
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