Ferrari heads into the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix with fresh concerns about cold temperatures after Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled to extract consistent performance from their tyres in Brazil. The difficult weekend at Interlagos exposed a problem the Italian team must address before racing in Nevada: keeping the tyres working effectively when cold and wet conditions narrow the car’s operating window.
Charles Leclerc described a particularly difficult start to the Brazilian Grand Prix, with a severe lack of grip preventing him from attacking. Although the situation improved later in the race, the early struggles had already compromised his afternoon, leaving him battling traffic and struggling to recover lost ground.
Charles Leclerc reveals Ferrari’s grip problems in Brazil
“For me, it was like driving on ice,” Charles Leclerc explained, highlighting just how difficult the opening stages had been behind the wheel of the Ferrari SF-26.
The Monegasque driver eventually experienced an improvement in the car’s behaviour, but it was not enough to transform his race. The time lost during the opening phase, combined with traffic and the difficulty of making progress through the field, prevented Charles Leclerc from mounting a meaningful recovery.
Lewis Hamilton encountered a different problem during the same race. After making an excellent start, the seven-time Formula 1 world champion gradually lost performance as his rear tyres deteriorated. Despite their contrasting race trajectories, both Ferrari drivers struggled to maintain consistent performance throughout the Grand Prix.
Why Ferrari fears cold conditions at the Las Vegas Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari must carefully analyse what happened at Interlagos to understand why the car proved so difficult to manage. There were some encouraging signs, particularly in the team’s improved understanding of its qualifying setup in wet conditions, but the race exposed weaknesses that still require attention.
The next challenge could be just as demanding. Low temperatures at the 2026 Las Vegas Grand Prix may once again test Ferrari’s ability to keep its tyres within an effective operating window.
The issue is especially important because the team cannot afford another weekend in which its drivers struggle for grip and lose performance as the race develops. Finding a more consistent balance between tyre behaviour and car setup will therefore be essential if Ferrari hopes to avoid a repeat of its Brazilian difficulties.
For Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton, Las Vegas represents another opportunity to move beyond the frustrations of Interlagos. However, Ferrari must first find answers to the tyre problems that affected both drivers in different ways, particularly if the cold conditions in Nevada expose the same weaknesses.
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