For Ferrari supporters, the 2024 United States Grand Prix still feels like yesterday. Under the blazing Texas sun at the Circuit of the Americas, Charles Leclerc produced one of the most intelligent and clinical opening laps of his Formula 1 career, turning a chaotic first corner into a defining Ferrari triumph.
While Max Verstappen and Lando Norris aggressively battled for championship position into Turn 1, Charles Leclerc remained patient, calculated the situation perfectly and attacked the inside line with absolute precision. In only a few seconds, the Ferrari driver transformed fourth place on the grid into race leadership.
From that moment onward, Charles Leclerc controlled the race with remarkable composure and pace, delivering a dominant victory that ultimately secured a historic Ferrari one-two finish alongside Carlos Sainz. On that afternoon in Austin, the Ferrari SF-24 looked balanced, competitive and fully capable of fighting at the very front of Formula 1.
Looking back now, however, that victory increasingly resembles the end of an era rather than the beginning of a sustained title challenge.
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari drought becomes increasingly difficult to ignore
Since the celebrations in Austin, race victories have completely disappeared for Charles Leclerc. Despite several impressive qualifying performances, podium finishes and moments of undeniable speed, the Ferrari driver has repeatedly been denied success by a combination of strategic errors, reliability concerns, race incidents and the rapid development pace shown by rivals McLaren and Mercedes.
Across the second half of the 2024 Formula 1 season and throughout the demanding start to the 2026 campaign, Ferrari has often shown flashes of competitiveness without consistently delivering the complete package required to win races regularly.
As a consequence, Charles Leclerc now finds himself approaching an extremely uncomfortable milestone in his Ferrari career.
If the Monegasque driver fails to return to the top step of the podium before the Italian Grand Prix at Monza, his current Formula 1 winless streak will reach 41 consecutive Grands Prix — the longest drought of his Ferrari career and an even worse sequence than those endured during Ferrari’s troubled transition years in 2020 and 2021.
For a driver widely considered among the fastest over a single lap and one of the most naturally gifted racers on the grid, the statistic feels increasingly harsh.
Ferrari’s inconsistency continues to hurt Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton
The pressure surrounding Ferrari has intensified dramatically over recent months, especially after the arrival of Lewis Hamilton alongside Charles Leclerc created enormous expectations ahead of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Instead of consistently challenging for victories, however, Ferrari has frequently struggled to match the race pace and operational sharpness displayed by McLaren, Mercedes and Red Bull Racing.
Although the Maranello team has introduced several aerodynamic and mechanical upgrade packages throughout the season, the gains have often appeared insufficient compared to the improvements made by direct rivals. Ferrari’s power unit limitations, strategic uncertainty and inconsistent race execution have repeatedly left both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc unable to maximize opportunities during key race weekends.
For Charles Leclerc specifically, the frustration is becoming increasingly visible. The Ferrari driver continues to deliver committed performances and remains deeply invested in the Scuderia project, yet every missed opportunity only increases the weight of expectation surrounding him.
The irony is that the Monegasque c has arguably matured into a more complete Formula 1 driver during this difficult period. His race management, tire preservation and leadership inside the Ferrari garage have improved considerably. Yet the results have not reflected that progression.
Monza could become emotionally decisive for Ferrari
The countdown toward the Italian Grand Prix at Monza is therefore carrying far more significance than normal. For Ferrari, Monza is never simply another race on the Formula 1 calendar. It represents the emotional center of the Scuderia’s identity, the home event where pressure, passion and expectation reach extraordinary levels.
This year, however, the Temple of Speed risks becoming the backdrop to an unwanted Ferrari statistic if Charles Leclerc arrives still searching for his first victory since Austin.
Former Formula 1 driver Riccardo Patrese recently emphasized that Ferrari must finally provide Charles Leclerc with the technical stability and performance platform necessary to consistently fight at the front again. Many inside the paddock share the same belief: Ferrari possesses the talent in both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, but the car itself has too often failed to support those ambitions.
The challenge for Ferrari now extends beyond pure championship mathematics. The team must rediscover the confidence, consistency and technical direction that once made the SF-24 such a dangerous package during weekends like Austin in 2024.
Because unless Ferrari can reignite that spark soon, Charles Leclerc’s growing winless streak risks becoming one of the defining narratives of the modern Ferrari era.
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