Charles Leclerc has admitted that Ferrari “sacrificed a part of the season to focus completely on 2026”. The Monegasque driver explained that there are already encouraging signs from early development of the next-generation Formula 1 car, adding that “we will need to wait until next year to have a definitive answer”.
The intense back-to-back that ends the 2025 championship has naturally led the drivers to start drawing their first conclusions on the season, especially those who are no longer fighting for a world title. Charles Leclerc hopes to finish the year with something positive, but when reflecting on the season he deliberately extended his analysis to include the crucial bridge toward the future 2026 project.
“I feel that this year we have sacrificed part of the season to concentrate fully on 2026,” he explained. “There are elements that tell me we are working in the right direction and in an appropriate way. At the same time I believe that probably everyone has that feeling today; so we will have to wait until next year to have the final answer.”
Earlier this year, Charles Leclerc had been among the drivers openly expressing a certain level of disappointment after the first simulator test with the initial model of the 2026 car. However, things have evolved significantly. Development of the ‘virtual’ car has continued and the latest sensations are more positive, which explains why his tone today is more relaxed compared to the early summer.
“I like the challenge of having to think in a different way,” Charles commented when speaking about the innovations coming with the 2026 regulations. “After the first simulator tests we asked ourselves many questions, wondering how we would approach the problems we will have with next year’s car. It was a very interesting process, and even as a driver it has been useful because it relies a lot on our feedback and on the tools we will need to manage different types of situations.”
According to Charles Leclerc, the new rules will also reshape on-track action. “I think wheel-to-wheel battles will be quite critical, there are really many new things and all of this required a very interesting process of thinking. As for driving pleasure, I want to wait until the moment I go on track with the real car, I cannot rely only on the sensations from the simulator. But for sure while driving there will be much more to think about to manage the energy we will have available.”
From the future back to the present. For the next Grand Prix, FIA and Pirelli have imposed a two-stop strategy, but Charles Leclerc does not expect this to change the race drastically. “I think the effect of this measure will be a very similar strategy for everyone, there will be less space for those who want to think of something alternative. As drivers, and we all know drivers are a bit crazy, maybe we would have preferred the freedom to take some risks with tyre durability. But it is also true that the FIA is here precisely for this, to adopt the measures needed for everyone’s safety. We must remember that getting a puncture on a track like this can be dangerous, so I understand the decision that was taken.”
Charles also made it clear he did not consider too harsh the decision taken by the stewards in Las Vegas, which led to both McLaren cars being excluded from the Grand Prix classification. “Clear rules are necessary, and these rules must be respected. I don’t think there is much to add about it; it is a very tricky rule because I don’t believe any team wants to be illegal, but at the same time we all know that we must be right at the limit. In such a scenario very little can make the difference — a change of wind or a bumpy section of the track — but I remain convinced that we need a clear rule and I would not change it.”
Speaking specifically about the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, Charles Leclerc confirmed that he does not share some of the criticism made after the event. “I won’t go into the issue of the race schedule; for that kind of decision you need a complete overview of the situation and it is not something I am involved in. But regarding track grip, I can say that there are some quite difficult points with room for improvement, yet it is definitely a track I like. Some people may not share my opinion, but I really love that circuit. Again, there are some aspects that can improve, but it is a layout that I enjoy a lot.”
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