Charles Leclerc has stated that Ferrari still has the potential to put Mercedes drivers George Russell and Kimi Antonelli under pressure during races, despite the W17 currently holding a clear pace advantage over the SF-26. The Monegasque driver emphasized that while Mercedes appear stronger in qualifying and over race distances, Ferrari’s strategic approach and energy management can still make the battles highly competitive.
The 2026 Formula 1 campaign has started strongly for Ferrari, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton securing back-to-back podiums in Melbourne and Shanghai. These results underline the improvements in the SF-26 compared to its predecessor, though the car remains behind the Brackley-based team in outright speed.
In the opening stages of the season, both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were able to challenge Mercedes at the start of races, using superior energy management and flexible race strategies to temporarily gain the upper hand. However, sustaining this advantage over an entire race has proved challenging, highlighting a current gap of approximately three to five tenths per lap between the SF-26 and the Mercedes W17 in race trim, despite Mercedes suggesting the deficit is smaller.
Leclerc reflects on Chinese Grand Prix result
After Kimi Antonelli outpaced both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc at the Chinese Grand Prix—beating Lewis Hamilton by over 25 seconds and the Monegasque by nearly 29—RacingNews365 asked the Ferrari star whether the result validated the drivers’ assessments of the performance gap. Charles Leclerc acknowledged the difficulty, explaining that while he hadn’t anticipated such a clear separation, it aligned with observations from testing and earlier race performances.
Charles Leclerc reflected that during the Australian Grand Prix and the Shanghai Sprint, the team had performed better than expected, and the results now seem more in line with the anticipated pace. Despite the challenge, he believes Ferrari can still create difficult situations for Mercedes on track, particularly through racecraft and strategic maneuvers, stating that “with the fighting of these cars, it can be quite interesting.”
Upgrades and future prospects
One of the key talking points of the season so far has been the early-race battles between Ferrari and Mercedes, which have provided some of the most entertaining action on the grid. Charles Leclerc confirmed that Ferrari has upgrades in the pipeline aimed at reducing the current performance gap, although he remained cautious about how much of a difference they will make once deployed.
The Monegasque driver highlighted that while improvements are on the way, it remains uncertain exactly how much closer the SF-26 will be to the W17. Nevertheless, Charles Leclerc emphasized that Ferrari will continue to challenge Mercedes and create competitive racing scenarios throughout the season, leveraging the strategic strengths of both himself and Lewis Hamilton.
Maintaining pressure despite a pace deficit
Despite acknowledging Mercedes’ superiority over a full race distance, Charles Leclerc’s approach remains focused on maintaining pressure and maximizing the capabilities of the SF-26. Combined with Lewis Hamilton’s consistent form, Ferrari’s drivers aim to make every race competitive, ensuring that the team remains a key contender in the 2026 Formula 1 season. The Monegasque driver’s comments underline the delicate balance Ferrari faces in extracting maximum performance while bridging the gap to the dominant Mercedes W17.
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