Adapting to the 2026 Formula 1 cars requires much more than analyzing telemetry data, according to Charles Leclerc. The Ferrari driver stated that the complexity of the new regulations has made it much harder to identify the source of performance issues.
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Speaking to the press, the Monegasque explained that the interaction between the different elements of the car, especially related to the power unit, created a scenario where changes in driving style do not always produce the expected results. For him, this new reality demands a much more careful approach from the drivers.
Leclerc recalled that he started the season comfortable with the behavior of the SF-26, but faced difficulties in some rounds, especially at the Monaco and Canadian GPs. According to the driver, only after a series of changes was it possible to recover competitiveness, a process that began to show results after the British GP.
“The performance depends a lot on the power unit and how everything is set up. That’s why these cars are so difficult. It’s not like in the past, when you looked at the data and clearly said where you were losing time and what needed to change in the driving,” he said.
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He highlighted that trying to adapt the driving style without considering the rest of the package can even worsen the situation: “If you change your driving, but the car’s setup is going in another direction, you end up in a much worse situation than before. There are many variables and you need to keep an open mind,” he added.
Leclerc also disagreed with the idea that a more aggressive driving style is the solution for the current cars. According to him, this type of approach does not work in the Ferrari, although it may be effective in other cars on the grid: “I don’t believe it’s that simple. There are many variables and understanding all the consequences when something is a bit off ideal is much harder than it seems. In our car, being extremely aggressive doesn’t work, but it might work in another,” concluded the Monegasque.
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