Charles Leclerc is — like Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso — no fan of the new Formula 1 cars either. According to the Monegasque, the challengers for the upcoming season lack driving pleasure, but he hopes that further development of the SF-26 will provide an enjoyable challenge. The Ferrari driver was also particularly impressed by Red Bull and Mercedes in Bahrain: “I expect those two in particular will be a bit ahead of us.”
Also for Charles Leclerc the first test week in Bahrain is over. The Monegasque was fastest on Thursday, and on Friday his teammate Lewis Hamilton finished half a second behind the quickest time set by Andrea Kimi Antonelli. Still, Leclerc doesn’t get much driving pleasure out of the brand-new SF-26.
“It’s not the nicest car, but it is what it is and I’m trying to enjoy myself in a different way,” the Ferrari driver told the media present in Bahrain. “I think the challenge of developing this completely new system is something I find enjoyable and interesting. It’s good to think outside the usual lines and to find other ways to maximise the car’s performance. But the real pleasure of driving the car is different.”
Pecking order
The Monegasque joins earlier criticism from Max Verstappen and Fernando Alonso. They, too, say the new cars are not enjoyable to drive, and the Dutchman even labelled the 2026 challengers “Formula E on steroids.” Still, Leclerc believes the Red Bull driver will get off the line better this season than his own team. The Monegasque stresses that the pecking order in 2026 is harder to gauge than usual because of the new hybrid power units.
“I think Red Bull has shown very impressive things with the power unit since the start of testing, especially here,” Leclerc said. “Mercedes also shows very impressive things at times. But I’d say they are hiding a lot more. I expect those two in particular to be a bit ahead of us. McLaren is a bit harder to judge, but from my current perspective Red Bull and Mercedes are leading, followed by us. For now, the gap doesn’t seem too large.”
F1 calendar for 2026
