Charles Leclerc encountered an unusual and potentially dangerous problem during the 2026 Singapore Grand Prix when his Ferrari unexpectedly began braking while he was accelerating away from Turn 13. The incident occurred on lap 46 at Marina Bay and immediately prompted concern from the Monegasque, who warned the Maranello team about what could happen if the behaviour returned at a faster section of the circuit.
Ferrari was able to prevent a repeat of the anomaly after making changes through the steering-wheel settings two laps later, allowing Leclerc to continue and finish the race normally. However, the exact cause of the unexpected braking remains unresolved, leaving the episode as one of the more unusual technical issues to emerge from Ferrari’s Singapore weekend.
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari unexpectedly brakes at Turn 13
The problem appeared as Leclerc exited Turn 13 and began feeding the throttle back in for the next section of the Marina Bay Street Circuit. Despite no deliberate braking input from the driver, the SF-26 started to decelerate unexpectedly.
Leclerc immediately alerted Ferrari to the abnormal behaviour and expressed concern about the consequences if the same thing happened somewhere faster. On a street circuit such as Singapore, where barriers are close and escape areas are limited, an unexpected loss of speed at the wrong moment could create a serious problem not only for the affected driver but also for any car following closely behind.
The incident adds another braking-related talking point to Ferrari’s Singapore weekend. Earlier in the event, the Scuderia had already been working on brake settings and calibration during Singapore practice, while Leclerc also experienced braking difficulties during qualifying.
Ferrari uses steering-wheel setting to stop the anomaly
Two laps after Leclerc reported the problem, Ferrari instructed him to change a setting through the steering wheel. The intervention appeared to work immediately, as the unexpected braking behaviour did not recur for the remainder of the race.
The fact that an electronic configuration change stopped the issue naturally raises the possibility of a connection with one of the car’s management systems. However, the available information does not establish a definitive cause, and Ferrari would need to analyse the relevant data before determining what actually triggered the behaviour.
A separate account of the incident showed race engineer Bryan Bozzi providing the steering-wheel change after initially treating the episode as isolated. The radio exchange surrounding Charles Leclerc’s braking problem provides further context on how Ferrari responded while the car remained on track.
Software issue considered but not confirmed
One possible explanation is a software anomaly connected to the Ferrari’s electronic management systems. Modern Formula 1 cars rely on highly sophisticated electronics to coordinate a wide range of functions involving the power unit, control systems and driver inputs.
An electronic management error could potentially produce abnormal behaviour, but the circumstances alone are not enough to prove that software was responsible. Other causes cannot be ruled out until Ferrari completes a detailed analysis of the data gathered during the race.
The effectiveness of the steering-wheel adjustment makes the electronic side of the car worthy of attention, but it should not be treated as a confirmed diagnosis. The root cause of the braking event therefore remains unclear.
Why the unexpected braking posed a serious safety concern
The most worrying element was not simply that the Ferrari slowed unexpectedly, but that it did so while Leclerc was accelerating. Formula 1 drivers rely on highly predictable braking and throttle behaviour to control the car precisely, particularly on a street circuit with almost no margin for error.
A sudden deceleration where acceleration would normally be expected can disturb the balance of the car and create an additional hazard for anyone following closely. At Marina Bay, the incident happened at a relatively slow part of the circuit and did not cause an accident.
Leclerc’s concern centred on what might happen if the behaviour returned at greater speed. With another car directly behind, an unexpected slowdown could also create a dangerous closing-speed difference.
The issue was particularly notable given Ferrari’s wider work on the SF-26’s braking characteristics. Technical analysis from the weekend showed that Leclerc had already been seeking greater confidence under braking, especially around Turns 13 and 16 during Singapore qualifying.
Ferrari prevents repeat but root cause remains unresolved
The immediate outcome was positive in one important respect: once Ferrari changed the relevant steering-wheel settings, the anomaly did not return. Leclerc was able to complete the rest of the Grand Prix without another occurrence of the unexplained braking.
That does not, however, identify what caused the problem in the first place. Ferrari will need its post-race data analysis to determine whether the incident originated from software, an electronic configuration or another element of the car’s systems.
The episode therefore leaves the Scuderia with a technical question to answer despite successfully managing the problem during the race. On a circuit as unforgiving as Marina Bay, Ferrari will want to understand precisely why the SF-26 produced an unrequested braking input and ensure the behaviour cannot return under more dangerous circumstances.
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