Leclerc cautious after FP2 in Melbourne
After the second free practice session at the 2026 Australian Grand Prix, Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc shared his concerns about the SF-26’s race pace. While the Monaco driver believes Ferrari is competitive with Red Bull and McLaren, he admits that Mercedes appears to have a clear advantage over the distance, leaving the Scuderia with some work to do before the first race of the season.
FP2 exposes Mercedes strength
The opening free practice sessions in Melbourne offered a mixed picture for Ferrari. While the team showed promise during the morning runs, the afternoon was dominated by Mercedes and their customer teams. The German squad’s power units stood out in the evening light, giving the first tangible insight into their potential not just in qualifying but also over a full race stint.
Charles Leclerc acknowledges that this advantage could be decisive. “I don’t know what Mercedes can do in qualifying, but on race pace, they are much stronger than us,” he said after FP2. The Ferrari driver also noted the impressive performance of Oscar Piastri in the McLaren but admitted that he wasn’t sure what the teams were testing between their two cars. “Maybe they’re running different setups, because Lando [Norris] seemed significantly behind,” Charles Leclerc added.
Ferrari setup choices and the path forward
The SF-26 ran what Leclerc described as an “aggressive” setup in FP2, which may have limited its performance over longer runs. Despite this, the driver remains cautiously optimistic. “I hope I’m wrong and that tomorrow we’ll be much faster, but for now, Mercedes seems to have the edge, followed by Red Bull, McLaren, and then us,” he concluded.
Season-long development crucial
Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur had already emphasized that the Bahrain tests were only the first step in a long season. Consistency, development speed, and the ability to extract maximum performance from the SF-26 over multiple race weekends will be key to challenging the Mercedes W17s and other top teams. Charles Leclerc’s comments underline the challenge ahead, signaling that while Ferrari is not the fastest over race distance yet, there is still time to improve before the championship truly begins.
Charles Leclerc’s honest admission reflects the complex reality of the 2026 regulations, where early pace in practice doesn’t always translate to Sunday superiority. While Mercedes currently holds the upper hand in race simulations at Albert Park, the evolving nature of the SF-26’s setup suggests that Ferrari is prioritizing long-term development over a single Friday headline.
