Charles Leclerc has moved to within 14 points of Lewis Hamilton in the Formula 1 drivers’ standings, adding another layer of intrigue to Ferrari’s 2026 season after the Singapore Grand Prix. According to Italian journalist Giorgio Terruzzi, the Monegasque driver now appears firmly focused on finishing ahead of his teammate as their internal battle becomes increasingly close.
Singapore was also a major championship weekend for Kimi Antonelli, who arrived at Marina Bay with his first opportunity to secure the title. Within Ferrari, however, attention has increasingly turned towards the changing balance between its two drivers, with Leclerc making substantial progress against Hamilton over the latest stretch of races. Ferrari’s wider Singapore weekend also underlined the contrasting outcomes for the two teammates, with Charles Leclerc finishing second while Lewis Hamilton endured a more difficult race.
Charles Leclerc closes the gap to Lewis Hamilton
Discussing the Singapore Grand Prix on the Terruzzi Racconta podcast alongside Pino Allievi and Stefano Nicoli, Giorgio Terruzzi focused on the evolving Ferrari teammate contest. His calculation showed that Leclerc had finished ahead of Hamilton in six of the previous nine races, reducing the gap between them to just 14 points.
Terruzzi suggested that the situation had given Leclerc a very clear objective: moving ahead of Hamilton in the championship standings. In his view, the Ferrari driver is pushing particularly hard because finishing behind a young championship contender such as Kimi Antonelli is one challenge, while also ending a difficult season behind his own teammate would be considerably harder for him to accept.
The tightening contest can also be viewed through ScuderiaFans’ Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton season comparison, which tracks their qualifying and race head-to-head across the campaign.
Giorgio Terruzzi highlights Lewis Hamilton’s Singapore mistakes
Terruzzi also offered a critical assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s Singapore weekend. He praised Leclerc for producing a strong qualifying lap at the decisive moment and following it with a solid race, while pointing to Hamilton’s mistake on his final Q3 lap as part of a wider pattern he believes has affected the seven-time world champion at important moments.
In Terruzzi’s assessment, Hamilton has alternated between impressive performances and emotional reactions that have sometimes prevented him from completing sessions cleanly. He argued that Singapore was another example, with the British driver’s qualifying error followed by strategic decisions that proved costly during the Grand Prix.
One of the central moments came in the pits, where Hamilton chose not to follow the planned stop immediately. That decision was heavily scrutinised after the race and contributed to a result that fell short of Ferrari’s potential. Hamilton subsequently accepted responsibility for the failed tyre gamble, as detailed in ScuderiaFans’ report on Lewis Hamilton’s costly Marina Bay strategy decision.
Leclerc’s Singapore result changes the Ferrari dynamic
Terruzzi also linked Hamilton’s difficult afternoon with the fact that Leclerc ultimately finished ahead of him. He believed the situation would have been particularly difficult for Hamilton after another weekend in which his teammate gained ground in their championship comparison.
For Leclerc, the broader trend is increasingly significant. Finishing ahead of Hamilton in six of nine races has transformed what had previously been a larger points deficit into a 14-point margin, creating a realistic opportunity for the Monegasque to reverse their positions before the end of the season.
That does not change Ferrari’s wider priorities, but it does create an increasingly important internal storyline as the final part of the campaign approaches. With both drivers competing in the same machinery, every qualifying result, strategic decision and race finish can now have a direct impact on who ultimately ends 2026 as the higher-placed Ferrari driver.
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