Martin Brundle has outlined what Charles Leclerc must do if he wants to halt Lewis Hamilton’s growing momentum at Ferrari, with the former Formula 1 driver believing the seven-time world champion has now established himself as the team’s clear leader.
After being comprehensively outperformed by Leclerc during their first season together at Ferrari in 2025, Lewis Hamilton entered the 2026 campaign facing significant scrutiny. Many questioned whether the Briton would be able to adapt fully to life at Maranello and challenge his younger teammate consistently.
However, Lewis Hamilton has answered those doubts in emphatic fashion. The 41-year-old has enjoyed a remarkable run of form in recent races, steadily building momentum and confidence as Ferrari’s competitiveness has improved.
Following consecutive second-place finishes in Canada and Monaco, Hamilton finally reached the top step of the podium at the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona, securing his maiden Ferrari victory ahead of George Russell and Lando Norris.
While Lewis Hamilton celebrated a landmark success, Charles Leclerc endured another frustrating weekend. The Monegasque driver was forced to retire in the closing stages of the race, extending a difficult spell that has now seen him fail to finish two consecutive Grands Prix.
Martin Brundle believes Charles Leclerc must respond quickly
The gap between Ferrari’s two drivers is beginning to grow. The Briton now holds a 40-point advantage over Leclerc in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship standings, reflecting the shift in momentum that has taken place since the start of the season.
In his latest race analysis for Sky Sports F1, Martin Brundle argued that the seven-time world champion is increasingly looking like Ferrari’s undisputed reference point.
The former F1 driver and commentator believes Leclerc has endured a particularly difficult period and now faces a crucial phase of the season. According to Brundle, strong performances in the upcoming Austrian and British Grands Prix will be essential if the Monegasque driver is to reassert himself within the team.
Brundle wrote:
“A lap after Antonelli retired, the unfortunate Leclerc also had to park his Ferrari. He’s had a torrid time of late, and he needs a very strong performance in the upcoming Austria and Silverstone races to re-establish himself. Because Hamilton is looking like the clear team leader now. Lewis’ last three race results read second, second, first.”
Those comments underline how dramatically the dynamic inside Ferrari has changed. While Leclerc was widely regarded as the team’s undisputed benchmark throughout much of 2025, Hamilton’s recent results have shifted the spotlight firmly onto the other side of the garage.
Would Lewis Hamilton have won in Barcelona without the Virtual Safety Car?
One of the major talking points following the Spanish Grand Prix was the timing of the Virtual Safety Car, which played a significant role in shaping the race.
The VSC period arrived at an ideal moment for Hamilton, allowing him to make his third and final pit stop at a reduced time loss. The Ferrari driver returned to the track ahead of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, putting him in a commanding position for the remainder of the race.
Some observers argued that the Virtual Safety Car effectively handed Hamilton the victory. Martin Brundle, however, does not share that view.
While acknowledging that the timing worked perfectly in the Briton’s favour, Brundle believes the Ferrari driver had enough pace and tyre performance to win regardless of the VSC intervention.
He added: “The Virtual Safety Car ended conveniently just as Lewis left the pit lane. He could surely win his first Grand Prix for Ferrari, and impressively, he then proceeded to check out up front and won by 19 seconds Would he have won regardless of saving 10 seconds on that third and final stop? It’s hard to be certain because he would have needed to overtake Norris and the two Mercedes ordinarily, but my feeling is that he would have won anyway, such was his pace and tyre advantage in the closing stages.”
Lewis Hamilton’s dominant final stint certainly supports that argument. Once he found himself in clean air, the Ferrari driver consistently pulled away from his rivals and controlled the race with ease. By the chequered flag, the scale of his advantage suggested that the Barcelona victory was built on more than just strategy and circumstance.
For Charles Leclerc, meanwhile, the next two races could prove pivotal. With Lewis Hamilton enjoying his strongest spell since joining Ferrari and increasingly being viewed as the team’s leading figure, the Monegasque driver faces mounting pressure to reverse the trend before the championship battle slips further out of reach.
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