Ferrari made the anticipated progress on car balance during the third practice session ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix, presenting a well-prepared and competitive SF-26 on track. The car appeared to be well-positioned and properly balanced, showing promising signs for both qualifying and the race. However, both Ferrari cars encountered battery-related issues that prevented them from fully exploiting the potential of their hybrid power units.
At the most crucial moment, neither of the two Italian cars had the correct amount of electrical energy available, which significantly limited their ability to maximize performance on the final runs. This issue had to be carefully addressed before qualifying to give both drivers the best possible chance to compete at the front. By the conclusion of the session, Charles Leclerc secured fourth place on the starting grid for the Japanese Grand Prix, while Lewis Hamilton, despite showing some improvement, could manage only sixth position, highlighting the continuing challenges with the car’s hybrid management system.
Now let’s take a detailed look at how events unfolded for the two Maranello drivers in the qualifying session at the Suzuka circuit.
During the Q1 session, both Ferrari cars left the pit lane in a positive mood, with both drivers eager to demonstrate the improvements made to the SF-26 over the course of the weekend. Both cars were equipped with brand-new sets of Soft Pirelli tyres, easily recognizable by their red markings, ensuring optimal grip for the opening runs. Unlike the previous free practice sessions, the warm-up phase before the first flying lap appeared to be slightly different, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton pushing harder on their in-laps to ensure the tyres were brought up to optimal working temperature. The adjustments made by the Ferrari engineers and technicians to the car balance were immediately noticeable, providing a strong foundation for the drivers to extract maximum performance during their laps. Despite encountering traffic in three separate points on the track, Charles Leclerc was able to set a competitive lap time, demonstrating both confidence in the car and the positive effect of the balance improvements.
Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, struggled slightly to find the same level of feeling and confidence as his teammate, highlighting the individual challenges posed by the SF-26’s setup and the new hybrid management strategies. Team engineer Carlo Santi actively monitored the Briton’s performance and suggested a series of adjustments aimed at improving his pace and overall confidence in the car. This allowed Lewis Hamilton to return to the track for a second flying lap, giving him the opportunity to build on the improvements identified in the initial attempt. Charles Leclerc followed shortly after, displaying strong pace and reclaiming the top position comfortably. The seven-time Formula 1 world champion made a modest improvement on his second lap, though he was still unable to fully exploit the potential of the SF-26, prompting both drivers to return to the pits to analyze telemetry data and evaluate the performance of the car under various conditions.
In Q2, Ferrari showed that they were capable of fighting for positions higher up the grid. The hybrid system problem that had affected the team during Free Practice 3 appeared to have been resolved, providing both the Monegasque and his Maranello teammate with a car that could compete effectively for the important positions in the mid-field and potentially at the front. Both drivers once again ran on red-banded Soft Pirelli tyres, making the most of the improved grip and car balance. It was particularly notable that on the approach to the 130R corner, both Ferrari drivers were working diligently to ensure the front axle was properly heated and prepared for optimal grip through the high-speed section. Charles Leclerc delivered a strong and solid lap, maintaining consistency throughout while only making a minor correction in the final corner to stabilize the car under traction.
Lewis Hamilton, while not as fast as his teammate, made clear progress in building confidence with the SF-26, thanks in part to guidance from Carlo Santi on how to optimize his driving line and better exploit the car’s characteristics. After a brief stop in the pits and a FIA weigh-in procedure, Lewis Hamilton returned to the track for another flying lap, showing steady improvement and ultimately setting a lap that placed him fourth, approximately three-tenths of a second behind Charles Leclerc. Sector analysis revealed that the Ferrari cars lost considerable time in sector two compared to the deployment of the Mercedes engines, while managing to minimize the deficit in the third sector, limiting it to just two-tenths of a second behind the Mercedes W17 of Kimi Antonelli.
When Q3 arrived, the session became the usual moment of truth, where the front row positions would be decided and the drivers had the opportunity to challenge for pole position. Ferrari’s hope was that at least one of the two cars could insert itself into the fight for the front row. The crucial factor remained the difference in performance provided by the Mercedes engine at full power and, of course, the performance of the SF-26 in sector one, which has historically been a strength for the Italian car at Suzuka and a critical segment for overall lap time.
After the first attempts in Q3, the feared gap to the Mercedes cars was confirmed. Despite both drivers not producing perfect laps, it became evident that Ferrari’s hybrid energy deployment was still significantly behind the maximum potential of the system developed at Brixworth. Meanwhile, Mercedes appeared extremely fast in sector one, exacerbating the challenge for the Scuderia.
On the final attempt, Charles Leclerc delivered an impressive lap, posting the best first sector of the session. However, this lap was only sufficient to secure a position on the second row of the grid, with Charles Leclerc finishing fourth, six-tenths of a second behind the Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli, who claimed pole position for the second time in the season. Lewis Hamilton was not far behind, finishing just half a second behind the Italian and securing sixth position on the grid, following the McLaren of Lando Norris, who had also posted competitive times.
The session reinforced a key reality for Ferrari: until the Maranello team is able to make a substantial improvement in hybrid energy management, both qualifying and race performance will continue to be compromised relative to the front-running Mercedes cars. The inability to fully exploit the available energy prevents the SF-26 from reaching its maximum potential, leaving the drivers frustrated. Charles Leclerc, in particular, expressed his dissatisfaction over the team radio, clearly unhappy with the prospect of starting behind McLaren and struggling with the lack of power from the hybrid system. This limitation continues to be a significant obstacle for the team, highlighting the urgent need for development and refinement of the hybrid energy deployment to enable both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton to fight consistently at the front of the grid in both qualifying and race conditions.
Overall, while Ferrari demonstrated some encouraging signs with improved balance and competitive pace in Q1 and Q2, the persistent hybrid energy challenges in Q3 ultimately restricted the team’s ability to challenge for the top positions. Charles Leclerc’s fourth place and Lewis Hamilton’s sixth place reflected both the progress made over the weekend and the remaining hurdles that must be overcome before Ferrari can realistically compete for victories. The team’s engineers will continue to work intensively on strategies, telemetry analysis, and car setup, aiming to maximize the SF-26’s potential while addressing the limitations of the hybrid system. The qualifying session for the Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka once again showed that performance improvements in energy management will be essential for Ferrari to regain competitiveness, with both Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton needing to extract every possible advantage from the car in upcoming races.
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