As first reported by Roberto Chinchero, Charles Leclerc has also decided to switch to Carbon Industrie brake discs and pads for the Spanish Grand Prix at Barcelona, while continuing to use the Brembo braking system architecture in both Formula 1 and endurance racing. There is no intention whatsoever of ending a partnership with Brembo that has lasted for more than fifty years.
While Lewis Hamilton had already opted for the French manufacturer’s friction materials starting from the Japanese Grand Prix, the Monegasque driver has now aligned himself with the seven-time world champion’s choice in Spain following the accident he suffered at the Antony Noghès corner during the Monaco Grand Prix.
Charles Leclerc explained the incident by pointing to a serious issue affecting the rear brakes.
“The rear brakes were not working,” Charles Leclerc said. “I already knew they weren’t working properly before the restart because from the moment the Safety Car came out I was monitoring the temperatures and they literally weren’t functioning. No matter how much I braked, the rear brakes wouldn’t heat up and wouldn’t reactivate, so there was absolutely nothing I could do.”
The Ferrari driver will evaluate the new configuration during FP1 in Barcelona and hopes the problem that has troubled him since the Canadian Grand Prix can finally be resolved.
Why braking has become more complicated in 2026
Understanding the issue requires looking at the major technical changes introduced for the 2026 Formula 1 regulations.
With the electric motor now producing up to 350 kW, a significantly larger portion of the braking effort on the rear axle is generated through energy recovery rather than through the traditional hydraulic braking system.
As a result, the brake-by-wire system has become even more important than in previous seasons.
This electronic system determines how much deceleration is required at the rear of the car based on the driver’s input at the brake pedal. An electronic control unit manages the distribution of braking forces, balancing regenerative braking from the MGU-K with conventional mechanical braking. On the 2026 cars, the mechanical brakes are only called upon when the energy recovery generated by the electric motor is insufficient. In other words, the traditional braking system only becomes fully active under specific circumstances, rather than operating continuously.
This has fundamentally changed how teams must approach braking management and driver confidence.
The challenge facing Ferrari engineers
For Ferrari, it has become crucial to manage energy deployment and recovery strategies in a way that perfectly integrates the brake-by-wire system with the conventional braking hardware.
The danger is that, under certain conditions, the rear brake discs may remain too cold because they are not being used continuously. Instead, they are required to operate only during specific peaks in braking demand.
When that happens, achieving consistent braking performance becomes far more difficult. It is therefore easier to understand the challenges Charles Leclerc appears to have faced in both Monaco and Canada. One of the strongest aspects of his driving style has always been his confidence under braking and his ability to attack corner entry aggressively.
However, if the braking response changes from one corner to the next, or if the system fails to provide a predictable feel through the pedal, that confidence can quickly disappear.
The result is a driver who can no longer rely on a fully repeatable braking reference, making it harder to push the car to the limit.
The issue goes beyond brake materials
Ferrari is entirely entitled to place its drivers in the best possible conditions to perform, and the decision to adopt Carbon Industrie materials should not be interpreted as a criticism of Brembo’s products.
When discussing braking performance and driver feeling under deceleration, numerous factors come into play, many of which extend far beyond the brake discs and pads themselves.
Charles Leclerc has now followed the path previously chosen by Lewis Hamilton, but there is no guarantee that changing friction materials alone will solve all of the issues. The brake-by-wire system itself remains a key variable. According to reports, Ferrari has developed its own brake-by-wire solution for the 2026 season, as many teams have chosen to do in order to control costs under the Budget Cap regulations.
In addition, brake cooling plays a major role. The size and configuration of the cooling system must be adapted for each individual circuit, meaning the braking behaviour can change significantly depending on track characteristics and environmental conditions.
For this reason, Ferrari’s engineers are analysing a combination of factors rather than focusing exclusively on the brake hardware.
Charles Leclerc seeks to regain confidence
Ultimately, the issue comes down to one of the most sensitive areas of Formula 1 performance: driver confidence during deceleration.
The braking system must function flawlessly across a wide range of operating temperatures and conditions. Drivers need complete trust that the car will respond exactly as expected every time they press the brake pedal.
For Charles Leclerc, that confidence appeared to be shaken in Monaco after the braking issues he encountered throughout the weekend. The Monegasque remains convinced that he can rediscover the feeling he needs in the Ferrari SF-26. The uncertainty and doubts that affected him in the Principality are obstacles he believes can be overcome.
Barcelona will therefore provide an important test, not only for Ferrari’s latest brake configuration but also for Charles Leclerc’s ability to rebuild the trust in the car that has traditionally been one of the foundations of his exceptional speed over a single lap and under heavy braking.
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