Charles Leclerc has urged Ferrari to conduct a detailed analysis of its data after an unexpected performance drop left him fourth in the 2026 Hungarian Grand Prix. The Monegasque had hoped to challenge for victory or at least a podium at a circuit that appeared ideally suited to the characteristics of the SF-26, but Ferrari failed to meet those expectations.
Although Charles Leclerc had remained cautious in the build-up to the weekend, the outcome was particularly difficult to accept after Ferrari’s stronger performances at Barcelona, Silverstone and Spa. The team will now use the remaining time before Formula 1’s mandatory summer factory shutdown to investigate why its performance declined so sharply at the Hungaroring.
Charles Leclerc’s difficult Hungarian GP record continues
After qualifying, Charles Leclerc had reiterated that his objective was not merely to finish on the podium but to fight for victory. The Hungaroring has historically been a difficult circuit for his driving style, and he has never won there.
That frustrating record continued in 2026. Charles Leclerc once again missed out on victory with Ferrari and had to settle for fourth place, a position he gained only because team-mate Lewis Hamilton received a five-second penalty for exceeding the pit-lane speed limit. The FIA found that Lewis Hamilton exceeded the limit by 0.1 km/h.
Charles Leclerc faced an uphill race from the start. He began on a set of soft tyres previously used in qualifying, and wheelspin compromised his launch, immediately costing him valuable tenths and dropping him to fifth position.
The Ferrari driver had already warned on Saturday that starting on used tyres could place him at a disadvantage during the opening phase of the race. However, he had not expected to struggle throughout all 70 laps of the Grand Prix.
Ferrari’s Hungary performance drop raises questions
Speaking to Sky Sport after the race, Charles Leclerc appeared visibly disappointed and frustrated. Ferrari’s form at the Hungaroring contrasted sharply with its performances at Barcelona, Silverstone and Spa, where the team had been able to challenge Mercedes and had even finished ahead of its rival on two occasions.
The result formed part of a difficult afternoon in which several setbacks left Ferrari outside the Hungarian GP podium, despite the circuit initially appearing favourable for the SF-26.
“There are definitely some question marks,” Charles Leclerc said. “It is very strange to see how, at two circuits where we expected to struggle considerably, such as Silverstone and Spa, we came away with a victory and a second place, while at a circuit like the Hungaroring, where on paper we expected a better weekend, we encountered so many problems.”
Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari’s expectations were not reflected on track
Ferrari had demonstrated encouraging pace on Friday, reinforcing expectations that it could contend at the front. By Saturday, however, the competitive picture had changed significantly and Charles Leclerc immediately realised the team faced a more difficult weekend than anticipated.
“We knew it would not be easy, and we still expected Mercedes to be very competitive,” Charles Leclerc explained. “However, we thought the circuit would be much better suited to the characteristics of our car.”
“That was the case on Friday, but I think Mercedes and Red Bull were still running their engines in fairly low modes during those sessions. When we reached Saturday, we immediately understood that we would struggle much more than expected.”
“We need to analyse the data thoroughly to understand why, because there is something that is not at all in line with our expectations.”
Ferrari to study its data before the summer shutdown
The Hungarian Grand Prix was the final race weekend before Formula 1’s summer break. Instead of entering the shutdown able to enjoy a positive conclusion to the opening part of the season, Ferrari now faces an urgent investigation into the reasons behind its inconsistent performance.
Charles Leclerc believes the team must establish why a circuit expected to favour the SF-26 exposed so many difficulties, especially after Friday’s promising running. His comments reflect the uncertainty surrounding Ferrari’s fluctuating form during the Hungarian GP weekend.
“Before the mandatory factory shutdown, we will have to analyse all the data carefully to understand what we were missing this weekend,” Charles Leclerc concluded.
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