Leclerc admits initial Mercedes superiority, but says race gap was smaller than qualifying indicated
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Despite Mercedes’ victory at the Australian Grand Prix, the opening round of the 2026 Formula 1 season, Ferrari left Melbourne with a positive feeling about the car’s performance in race pace. Charles Leclerc, who finished the race in third position after challenging for the lead in the opening laps, assessed that the Italian team was closer to Mercedes in the race than qualifying had suggested.
On Saturday, George Russell’s pole position indicated a significant advantage for the German team. However, during the race, the Monegasque managed to keep up with the leader’s pace at times and engaged in a direct battle in the early laps.
“In the race we seemed to be a bit closer. That doesn’t mean we are the fastest car, but the gap is more reasonable.”
Leclerc acknowledged that Mercedes still demonstrated superior performance throughout the race, but considered it encouraging that Ferrari managed to reduce the gap compared to what was seen in qualifying.
“Maybe ‘very satisfied’ is a strong word, but I am positively surprised.”
The race in Melbourne also showed that the Ferrari car’s behavior can be more consistent in race pace than in a single lap, something that could become an important factor throughout the season, especially in a championship starting under new technical regulations.
According to Leclerc, the true balance of power is still expected to evolve significantly in the coming rounds, as teams introduce updates and refine their understanding of the new cars.
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“This championship will probably be decided by development and updates.”
For the Ferrari driver, the 2026 season tends to be marked by constant changes in the grid hierarchy, as teams are still at the beginning of the learning curve for the new generation of cars.
“It is very important that we don’t make any mistakes in development, because the situation can change very quickly.”
Another factor reinforcing the importance of this evolution is the immediate season calendar. The next round, the Chinese Grand Prix, will be held in the Sprint format, which reduces the available practice time and increases pressure on teams to quickly understand the cars’ behavior.
Even without being able to directly challenge for the victory in Melbourne, Leclerc believes that Ferrari left the first race with valuable information to guide the car’s development in the coming rounds.
In a season that begins with new technical regulations and still undefined margins between teams, the ability to evolve throughout the championship will be a decisive factor in the title fight.
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