Ferrari is dealing with a subtle technical difference between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton on the SF-26: the two drivers do not want exactly the same feeling from the car’s power-assisted steering. They are not using differently shaped steering wheels, but Ferrari is reportedly running different hydraulic assistance settings to suit their individual driving styles and preferences.
The subject has become increasingly relevant after Charles Leclerc’s sharp performance drop in Madrid was linked to concerns surrounding the SF-26’s power steering and hydraulic assistance. The issue had already attracted attention during 2025, particularly in high-speed sections, and the arrival of Lewis Hamilton has encouraged Ferrari to explore a different approach to steering feel as part of the broader technical changes introduced around the seven-time world champion.
Ferrari SF-26 steering issue returned after Charles Leclerc’s Madrid problems
Charles Leclerc’s loss of performance during the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid was associated with possible problems involving the power steering and hydraulic system. It was not an entirely new subject for Ferrari, as similar concerns had already emerged during 2025 in high-speed sections where steering feel became particularly important.
The topic had also surfaced much earlier in the SF-26 programme. During Ferrari’s short 15-kilometre shakedown at Fiorano, both drivers highlighted steering feel as an area that could be improved, with the aim of making rotation smoother and less physically demanding. The wider background to those concerns, including the similarities with sensations Charles Leclerc experienced in the previous car, can be found in the analysis of the Ferrari SF-26 steering issue and its links to the SF-25.
Charles Leclerc also explained during the Madrid weekend that the 2026 Ferrari is quite a “physical” car to drive. That characteristic is particularly significant because Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton do not necessarily want the same amount of steering assistance or feedback from the front axle.
Why Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton use “different” steering setups
According to AutoRacer.it, Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have asked Ferrari for what can be described as two “different steering systems”. The important distinction is that this does not mean the two drivers use fundamentally different steering wheels in terms of their shape or physical design. Instead, the difference concerns how the power-assisted steering is configured and how much assistance is provided.
The steering architecture retains a mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the front wheels. The driver’s input travels through the steering column to the steering rack, after which the track rods control the direction of the front wheels. Hydraulic assistance is then added to generate force that helps move the rack and reduces the physical effort required from the driver.
This makes the level of assistance an important part of the driver’s relationship with the front axle. Less effort is not automatically better: excessive assistance can reduce the sensations transmitted back through the steering, while too little assistance can make the car unnecessarily physical to drive. The ideal compromise therefore depends partly on driving style and on how each driver wants to feel the front tyres approaching the limit.
What FIA rules allow Ferrari to change
Rosario Giuliana explained the regulatory framework governing Formula 1 power-assisted steering and why Ferrari still has room to tailor the system to individual drivers.
Rosario Giuliana wrote: “The FIA regulations set very precise limits through Article C10.5.3, which establishes that power-assisted steering systems may not be electronically controlled or electrically powered and that they may not perform any function other than reducing the physical effort required to steer the car. In the FIA technical classification of the system, this includes the rack assembly, the connection to the hydraulic system and the available options for varying the assistance.”
A good power-assisted steering system is therefore not necessarily the one that requires the least physical effort. Ferrari needs a delicate compromise between assistance, precision and feedback, and that balance can change according to the driver behind the wheel.
The importance of that compromise is amplified by the characteristics of the SF-26. Ferrari’s stiff SF-26 configuration in Madrid already made the car physically demanding in several areas, increasing the importance of giving each driver confidence through the controls.
Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari arrival brought steering changes into focus
Lewis Hamilton’s arrival at Maranello triggered a wide range of technical changes, and the steering system was among the areas that attracted attention. These developments require time, but Lewis Hamilton had already identified steering feel as one of several subjects on which he wanted to provide feedback after first sampling the SF-23.
Lewis Hamilton subsequently made several requests to Loïc Serra’s technical group aimed at improving his overall feeling with the Ferrari. Important changes were made to the braking system, including the switch to Carbon Industrie, while Ferrari also worked on setup, suspension characteristics, seating position and steering configuration.
The seat was moved further rearwards to better suit Lewis Hamilton, while the steering assistance became another area where Ferrari could adapt the car around the seven-time world champion’s preferences. More developments involving Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari adaptation have followed throughout his time at Maranello.
That process does not mean Ferrari is building two fundamentally different cars. It instead reflects the reality that elite Formula 1 drivers can require different levels of feedback from the same mechanical system, particularly when their preferred braking, steering and corner-entry techniques are not identical.
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton need different feedback from the SF-26
The steering discussion fits into a broader technical theme surrounding Ferrari in 2026. The same underlying SF-26 does not always present Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton with the same problems, because their driving styles can expose different characteristics of the car.
That has also been evident in qualifying, where Ferrari’s difficulties with the SF-26 have reportedly affected the two drivers differently. The analysis of why Ferrari’s qualifying weakness is hurting Charles Leclerc differently from Lewis Hamilton highlights another area in which identical machinery can demand different compromises from each driver.
For Charles Leclerc, steering feedback has become particularly important when the front axle is heavily loaded and the car becomes more physical. Ferrari therefore has to provide enough assistance to avoid excessive effort without filtering out the information Charles Leclerc needs to understand precisely how much front-end grip remains available. Further developments around the Monegasque driver can be followed through the Charles Leclerc Ferrari coverage.
Ferrari does not use two different steering wheels
The key point is therefore one of configuration rather than construction. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton are not using different steering wheels in terms of their fundamental design. Instead, Ferrari has adopted different settings for the hydraulic steering assistance in response to the preferences and driving styles of its two drivers.
That distinction illustrates how detailed Formula 1 car development has become. Even a component whose basic purpose is simply to help the driver turn the front wheels can become an important performance and confidence tool when the balance between physical effort and feedback is refined to such a high level.
For Ferrari, the challenge is to give both drivers the steering characteristics they need without compromising the fundamental behaviour of the SF-26. The subject is another example of how Lewis Hamilton’s arrival has influenced the technical development process at Maranello while Ferrari continues trying to understand and refine its 2026 car. The latest work on the chassis, suspension and other interconnected areas is covered in the site’s Ferrari technical analysis section.
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