George Russell explains why Charles Leclerc has lost ground to Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari in 2026
Lewis Hamilton’s growing advantage over Charles Leclerc has become one of the biggest talking points inside the Ferrari garage during the 2026 Formula 1 season. After another convincing race at the Austrian Grand Prix, the momentum appears to have shifted decisively in the seven-time world champion’s favour.
However, Mercedes driver George Russell believes the explanation is far less dramatic than some observers suggest. Rather than pointing to a decline in the 28-year-old’s abilities, George Russell argues that the Monegasque is still searching for the ideal way to unlock the potential of Ferrari’s demanding SF-26.
The Austrian Grand Prix provided another example of the changing balance between Ferrari’s two drivers. Lewis Hamilton recovered from fifth on the grid to finish fifth at the chequered flag, while Charles Leclerc slipped backwards to eighth after struggling with tyre degradation and race pace throughout Sunday’s event.
Although Charles Leclerc had once again demonstrated excellent one-lap speed by qualifying ahead of Lewis Hamilton, the race unfolded in a completely different manner. The Briton overtook his teammate three separate times before eventually finishing almost 20 seconds clear despite both Ferrari drivers adopting three-stop strategies.
George Russell believes confidence comes from understanding the car
From the outside, the recent trend appears striking.
Lewis Hamilton has now finished ahead of Charles Leclerc in five consecutive Grands Prix, building a significant championship advantage after trailing for much of the early part of the season.
Yet George Russell believes the numbers tell only part of the story.
Having spent three seasons alongside Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes, George Russell has experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to extract consistent performance from modern Formula 1 machinery. In his view, Charles Leclerc’s current struggles are not evidence that the Ferrari driver has suddenly lost his speed, but rather that he is still adapting to a highly sensitive car.
George Russell suggested after the Austrian Grand Prix that drivers do not suddenly forget how to drive. Instead, success depends on fully understanding the characteristics of the package underneath them and learning exactly what the car and tyres require under constantly changing conditions.
He had already expressed a similar opinion after qualifying, explaining that even the very best drivers can experience difficult periods when they have not yet found the ideal operating window for a new Formula 1 car.
The SF-26 remains a difficult car to master
Ferrari’s 2026 challenger has repeatedly demonstrated impressive raw pace, particularly over a single qualifying lap. Both the Briton and his Maranello teammate have shown they can compete near the front of the grid when the car is operating within its narrow performance window.
The challenge has been reproducing that speed consistently over race distance.
Charles Leclerc’s season has reflected exactly that problem. While his qualifying performances remain among the strongest on the grid, translating that speed into race results has proved considerably more difficult as Ferrari continues to battle tyre degradation, balance fluctuations and changing track conditions.
Recent technical changes also underline the extent to which Charles Leclerc has been searching for solutions. The Monegasque recently switched to a braking configuration much closer to Lewis Hamilton’s preferred setup, highlighting Ferrari’s ongoing efforts to improve his confidence behind the wheel.
Even so, the adaptation process has not been straightforward. Several costly incidents in recent Grands Prix, including mistakes in Miami, Monaco and Barcelona, have suggested that Charles Leclerc has occasionally been pushing beyond the car’s comfort zone while trying to recover the confidence that made him one of Formula 1’s strongest qualifiers.
Lewis Hamilton’s experience is beginning to pay dividends
As Charles Leclerc continues to search for answers, Lewis Hamilton appears to be moving in the opposite direction.
Following a difficult debut campaign with Ferrari, the Briton has steadily developed a stronger understanding of the SF-26’s characteristics. Recent performances suggest he is becoming increasingly comfortable managing tyre degradation, adapting to changing race conditions and maximising Ferrari’s strategic opportunities.
That growing confidence has translated directly into results. Since securing his breakthrough Ferrari victory in Spain, the Briton has established himself as the Scuderia’s reference point on race weekends, even when outright performance has not been sufficient to challenge Mercedes consistently.
Will Ferrari eventually choose a number-one driver?
Lewis Hamilton’s improved form has inevitably fuelled speculation about whether Ferrari should eventually prioritise one driver if a genuine championship opportunity emerges.
For the time being, however, there is little indication that Team Principal Frédéric Vasseur intends to introduce team orders. Ferrari has continued to allow Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc to race each other freely, believing both drivers remain capable of delivering victories when the car is competitive enough.
Whether that philosophy changes later in the season may depend entirely on Ferrari’s ability to close the performance gap to Mercedes. If the Scuderia can unlock more consistent race pace through future aerodynamic refinements and further ADUO-related power unit developments, Lewis Hamilton could yet emerge as a serious title contender.
Until then, George Russell’s assessment offers a more measured interpretation of Charles Leclerc’s recent difficulties. Rather than reflecting a decline in talent, the current imbalance inside Ferrari appears to be the product of one driver adapting more quickly than the other to one of the most demanding Formula 1 cars on the grid.
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