Charles Leclerc suffered another retirement after a failure involving several components on his Ferrari SF-26, but has the Scuderia finally identified the root cause of the problem that struck during the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona? Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur addressed the issue while also providing some insight into the team’s future development plans.
Following the Monaco Grand Prix, Ferrari decided to equip Charles Leclerc’s car with the same Carbon Industries brake discs and pads already used by Lewis Hamilton. The Monegasque driver adapted to the new setup relatively quickly during practice sessions and did not appear to suffer any significant performance deficit compared to his teammate.
Throughout Friday, both Ferrari SF-26 cars were reportedly running with an additional 10 to 15 kilograms of fuel, helping conceal the true pace of the car. Thanks to a package of upgrades that included a revised front wing, updates to the floor, and refinements to the diffuser, Ferrari is believed to have gained around three tenths of a second in performance. Further improvements to the bodywork also delivered gains in aerodynamic efficiency.
During Sunday’s race, tyre management in the hot Barcelona conditions became one of Ferrari’s strongest weapons. Charles Leclerc showed competitive pace and appeared capable of fighting his way through the field, but a mechanical issue ultimately forced him into another disappointing retirement. Has Ferrari now discovered exactly what went wrong?
Fred Vasseur: “I am much more positive about Charles”
“We still don’t know the cause in detail, but it looks like a hydraulic problem. I am much more positive about Charles than I was two or three weeks ago. He has regained confidence in the car, he was fighting for pole position and the feeling was much better. He started tenth and the race was made even more difficult by the strategy. However, the overall feeling and the level of confidence he has in the car today are clearly better than they were a few weeks ago,” Fred Vasseur said during the post-race press conference.
Charles Leclerc himself mentioned issues related to the power steering system and the brake-by-wire unit, suggesting that the braking system suffered a failure during the race. The Ferrari driver’s speed has never really been in question, but after two weekends filled with misfortune and a handful of costly mistakes, he now faces the challenge of rebuilding momentum and confidence.
Despite the setback, Ferrari has reasons to remain optimistic. The Italian team continues to push aggressively on development, and the atmosphere inside Maranello appears increasingly positive as the SF-26 becomes a more competitive package.
“I think this championship will be decided by the teams’ ability to develop the car. For the last twenty-five years, we have been used to saying that whoever was strong in Barcelona would dominate the season. This year it won’t be like that. It will be a matter of who can bring the most performance to the car race after race.
“When things go badly, I try to protect the team and take responsibility myself. Today I don’t want to put the spotlight on any particular department or person. This victory belongs to everyone. For me, it is an extraordinary feeling. We will celebrate at the factory because this victory is the reward for the work of more than 1,500 people who are pushing incredibly hard.”
With development now expected to play a decisive role in the 2026 Formula 1 title fight, Ferrari’s ability to continue extracting performance from the SF-26 could prove just as important as race-day execution. While Charles Leclerc’s retirement in Barcelona was another frustrating blow, the team’s growing confidence in both the car and its development direction offers encouragement heading into the next phase of the season.
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