Charles Leclerc denies that Ferrari’s upcoming 2026 challenger will better suit Lewis Hamilton‘s preferences than his own driving style. According to Leclerc, the main task for Scuderia is to build the fastest possible car for the next season. Personal preferences from the drivers will come later. ‘Once we put the fastest car on the track, we have all the freedom,’ explains the Monegasque.
The large-scale regulatory changes within Formula 1 are getting closer. Teams are already busy preparing for the moment when the new regulations will come into force in 2026. Ferrari is also busy with the challenger for the next season. According to several rumors, the Italian racing team plans to build the new car more around Lewis Hamilton’s preferences, so that the world champion can handle the car better. However, teammate Charles Leclerc believes this is unnecessary.
“I’m not worried at all, because it’s always a big topic of conversation outside the team,” the Monegasque tells in Silverstone when asked about the possibility that the car would deviate from his preferred characteristics. “Within the team, we have all the resources to adapt a car to my way of driving or to Lewis’s. I just want the fastest possible car next year. That’s exactly what Lewis wants. Next year, I will simply set up the car in a way that suits me, and Lewis will do the same.”
We Need the Fastest Car
The Monegasque emphasizes that it is most important for Ferrari to simply build the fastest possible car at this moment. Personal preferences for the settings from the drivers will come later, says Leclerc. “I think we are now in a time when, given the technology we have, we just need the fastest car,” continues the Ferrari driver. “Once we put the fastest car on the track, we have all the freedom. It’s not like ten or fifteen years ago, when if you couldn’t figure out the balance, you didn’t have the means to make the car go faster. Now we have those means, so I’m definitely not worried.”
