Charles Leclerc has given Ferrari another issue to investigate after his early retirement from the 2026 Italian Grand Prix, revealing that he noticed a change in the SF-26’s power delivery between the first and second laps at Monza. The Monegasque was careful not to draw a firm conclusion before Ferrari had examined the data, but his observation means the team must look beyond the crash itself when reviewing a deeply disappointing home race.
Leclerc’s Grand Prix lasted only two laps. Shortly after defending against an aggressive challenge from Oscar Piastri, he lost control of the Ferrari and crashed heavily, bringing an abrupt end to his afternoon in front of the Tifosi. The accident followed an already turbulent opening sequence in which Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton had come together, setting the tone for a difficult day for the Maranello team.
Charles Leclerc reports change in Ferrari power delivery before Monza crash
After completing his post-race media duties, Charles Leclerc explained that the car had not delivered power in exactly the same way from lap one to lap two. He acknowledged noticing a difference but stressed that Ferrari needed to inspect the data before he could be certain about what had happened.
Leclerc therefore stopped short of assigning responsibility or describing the issue as a confirmed engine fault. His position was that the team would investigate the change before reaching any definitive conclusion.
That detail is particularly significant for Ferrari because the SF-26’s power unit had already been an important area of focus during the Italian Grand Prix weekend. Readers can find further background in our Ferrari technical analysis coverage, while the team will now have the opportunity to compare Leclerc’s impression from the cockpit with the information recorded by the car.
Despite his frustration, Leclerc accepted that the result could no longer be changed. His focus was instead on understanding what had happened and recovering in time for the next round in Madrid.
Leclerc’s Italian GP ends after heavy Parabolica accident
The possible power-delivery concern emerged only after an extremely brief and eventful race. Leclerc had just managed to resist Oscar Piastri’s attack when his Ferrari went out of control at Monza, ending his Grand Prix almost as soon as it had begun.
The full sequence of the Charles Leclerc crash at Parabolica left Ferrari without one of its cars at its home event and added to the disappointment felt by the large number of supporters who had travelled to Monza hoping to see the Scuderia fight at the front.
However, the crash itself was not the first indication that Ferrari was heading towards a difficult afternoon. The opening-lap confrontation between Leclerc and Hamilton had already created tension on track and immediately compromised the team’s race.
Charles Leclerc rejects wider tension narrative with Lewis Hamilton
Charles Leclerc also addressed speculation surrounding his relationship with Lewis Hamilton after their first-lap incident attracted further attention.
Leclerc questioned who was continuing to promote the idea that he and Hamilton were competing against each other beyond the normal boundaries of being teammates. He felt there had already been too much discussion of that subject after Zandvoort.
At the same time, the Monegasque accepted that their battle at Monza had gone too far. He acknowledged that the situation with Hamilton at Turn 1 had exceeded what was desirable between the two Ferrari drivers. At Turn 2, Leclerc explained that he had tried to take the corner as tightly as possible, but his attempt had not created sufficient room and he recognised that such an outcome was particularly undesirable at Ferrari’s home race.
The incident and Leclerc’s subsequent assessment are examined further in our coverage of the Ferrari battle between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton at Monza.
Hamilton reaction adds to questions after chaotic Ferrari opening
Hamilton was later seen shaking his head after Leclerc’s accident. It was not clear, however, whether the seven-time world champion was reacting specifically to his teammate’s crash or reflecting on the pair’s earlier contact at the start.
The two Ferrari drivers had also expressed different views about the team’s championship prospects earlier during the Monza weekend, adding another point of contrast to the discussion surrounding their relationship. Leclerc nevertheless pushed back against the broader suggestion that the pair were fundamentally opposed to one another.
For the Scuderia, the immediate priorities extend beyond interpreting the opening-lap incident. Ferrari must establish whether the difference in power delivery reported by Leclerc represented a genuine technical problem and ensure that the driver is ready for the next event.
Ferrari turns attention to Madrid after difficult Italian GP
With Monza behind him, Charles Leclerc is now looking towards the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid. His hope is to recover quickly from the disappointment and respond at the next round, while Ferrari has little time to complete its analysis of both the accident and the possible engine behaviour he reported.
The Madrid race is the next stop on the 2026 Formula 1 calendar, giving the Maranello team an immediate opportunity to move on from a home Grand Prix marked by Leclerc’s retirement, an internal on-track clash and a new technical question surrounding the SF-26’s power delivery.
