SF-26 launch advantage? Charles Leclerc addresses Ferrari’s strong starts. Charles Leclerc explains why Ferrari may have a key advantage at race starts in the 2026 Formula 1 season.

Start issues are set to become one of the major talking points in the 2026 Formula 1 season, and Charles Leclerc has explained why Scuderia Ferrari could hold an important advantage over its rivals.

Ferrari’s decision not to modify the start procedure, despite requests from rival teams, immediately sparked enthusiasm among the Tifosi. Team principal Fred Vasseur has repeatedly stated that it was the Italian Scuderia that first raised concerns about the potential risks linked to turbo lag under the new regulations, without receiving meaningful backing from the rest of the grid.

For that very reason, engineers in Maranello designed the new Power Unit with a clear objective: finding effective solutions to minimise this issue. Based on what has been seen so far, they appear to have succeeded in convincing fashion. A video showing Lewis Hamilton performing a practice start quickly went viral across social media. In the footage, the SF-26 can be seen gaining several positions off the line, thanks to a launch that was clearly sharper and more responsive than that of the other cars on track.

The images immediately fuelled discussion throughout the paddock, with some suggesting that Ferrari could even reach Turn 1 in the lead after starting from further back on the grid. Naturally, full confirmation will only come once the first race of the 2026 season takes place in Australia.

Leclerc speaks about Ferrari’s potential advantage

In the meantime, Charles Leclerc has addressed what could prove to be a significant strength for the Maranello-based team. “The start issue is something we considered right from the beginning, from the moment we started focusing on these new regulations. The launch phase doesn’t seem to be a critical area for us,” the Monegasque driver said in a recent interview for the Italian daily newspaper Corriere dello Sport.

While the true overall potential of the SF-26 will only become clear once racing begins, Ferrari supporters can at least feel reassured about one of the most delicate aspects under the 2026 Formula 1 regulations: race starts.