2026 Chinese GP | Leclerc on his battle with Hamilton: “I’m disappointed not to…”
Charles Leclerc commented on the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix after finishing fourth behind Lewis Hamilton: “I’m disappointed not to…,” he said, sharing his thoughts at the end of the race. The Monegasque driver reflected on a hard-fought battle with Lewis Hamilton, which ultimately saw him just outside the podium.
The Prancing Horse concluded the Shanghai Grand Prix with third and fourth place finishes. After another lightning-fast start, both Ferrari drivers battled Mercedes for almost half the race. Ferrari continues to pay a significant power unit gap and is working hard to close it. Of course, the season is long, and Maranello must remain focused to recover ground. The SF-26 shows itself as a car with impressive aerodynamic downforce and excellent chassis performance, but that alone isn’t enough. The China race also featured an intense duel between Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton: here are the #16’s words on it.
Leclerc: “I’m sure Fred didn’t like it…”
“The battle with Lewis? I really enjoyed it. I’m sure Fred didn’t like it [laughs, ed.] and that some of the other team members were a bit stressed, but honestly, it’s fantastic to see Formula 1 like this in a race. Qualifying is different. Talking with the other drivers, we’re all on the same page: in qualifying, we need to make a few small adjustments. But in the race, I really had fun—both in Australia, yesterday in the sprint, and today. Lewis was simply faster from start to finish; this weekend he was on another level, congratulations to him. I’m happy for him for the podium. Of course, I’m disappointed not to have made it myself, but that’s how it went. I’ll work to do better next time on this circuit.”
Charles Leclerc smiles and focuses on the most enjoyable aspect of the race. The fight between teammates excited fans but also raised concerns. Both drivers share great mutual respect, and the Monegasque is well aware of Lewis Hamilton’s speed. With the SF-26, the British driver can drive as he prefers, braking hard—a capability he didn’t have at the same level last year. It’s important to have two drivers capable of challenging Mercedes. “From the start of the season, it’s been clear: Lewis is incredibly fast. He was very fast last year too, but the cars were very different. It’s fantastic to have both cars here, especially with these new regulations; there’s really something to fight for when battling the frontrunners, and having Lewis and me able to constantly challenge Mercedes is positive, so it’s fine.”
Charles Leclerc’s balanced perspective in Shanghai underscores the growing harmony within the Ferrari garage, even as the internal competition reaches a boiling point. By acknowledging that Lewis Hamilton was “on another level” this weekend, the Monegasque demonstrates a maturity that will be vital if Ferrari hopes to overhaul the Mercedes lead in the Constructors’ Championship. The fact that both drivers feel they have a car they can finally “attack” with is the most promising sign for the Tifosi since the 2026 regulations were announced. While the podium eluded him today, Charles Leclerc’s focus remains on the bigger picture: a coordinated Ferrari assault on the Silver Arrows’ supremacy. The data from this intra-team battle will be crucial in fine-tuning the SF-26’s energy deployment to ensure that next time, it’s a red car on the top step.
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