After finishing the 2026 Australian Grand Prix in third place, Charles Leclerc revealed an interesting behind-the-scenes detail about the race start, a phase in which Ferrari proved particularly strong. However, the situation also involved a problem that affected the entire grid and created a potentially dangerous scenario.
Ferrari’s weekend in Australia ultimately proved positive for the Scuderia, with Charles Leclerc finishing third and Lewis Hamilton securing fourth place. After the race, the Monegasque driver spoke about the SF-26’s explosive start and shared an unusual background story related to a technical issue that affected several cars on the grid.
Thanks to an excellent launch off the line, Leclerc managed to take the lead into Turn 1. Many expected Ferrari to have a strong start, but fewer predicted that the Monegasque driver would be able to hold off and battle the Mercedes of George Russell during the opening stages. Instead, at least in the first phase of the race, Ferrari proved capable of matching the pace of the Mercedes W17. Unfortunately for the Scuderia, a Virtual Safety Car period that went unused in terms of strategy later removed the chance for Ferrari to fight for victory until the very end.
Leclerc reveals the unusual story behind the race start
“The lights went out almost immediately, so I think there weren’t many drivers ready on the grid and even the power unit wasn’t ready. On top of that, we had quite a few issues happening in the background. But speaking with the others, it seems like it was a general problem, so I don’t know exactly what happened. All the batteries weren’t charged at all, so when we started the race it was chaotic, with cars and speed deltas that were a bit crazy. But it was quite fun.”
These were the words of the Monegasque driver in the media pen after the race, and they were also echoed by the two Mercedes drivers, who highlighted the same issue. In addition, the lights going out almost immediately created a dangerous moment on track: Franco Colapinto narrowly avoided crashing at high speed into the rear of Liam Lawson, who had started slowly. The feeling is that a potentially serious incident was narrowly avoided, and it’s likely that the start procedures will need to be reviewed once again.
Continuing his analysis, Charles Leclerc also highlighted Ferrari’s advantage off the line, even though the #16 had to manage a complicated situation during the start phase. “I didn’t expect a start like that. All of us had many and significant problems during this start. Our battery was slightly above zero, but not by much. I realized there was an issue at the beginning of the lap, so I tried to manage the situation in the best possible way. I think we came out of it as the best in a situation that was complex for everyone. I don’t really understand why we all had the same problem; that’s the thing we need to look into.”
This strong starting performance could become an important weapon for Ferrari going forward. If Lewis Hamilton had been able to start a bit further up the grid, the team might have been able to use a two-pronged attack at the front, potentially creating a very different race scenario. As the season progresses, maximizing these strengths could prove crucial for the Scuderia in its fight against Mercedes and the rest of the field.
