Charles Leclerc reveals ‘secrets’ in the F1 paddock with honest admission about Ferrari’s plans for 2026

Charles Leclerc said the 2026 project remained difficult to judge, adding that Ferrari had “no real idea” of its position compared to its rivals. The Monegasque driver explained that next year’s package remained shrouded in silence inside the paddock.

With major regulatory changes just months away, he stressed that drivers only know what their own teams are building. Ahead of the Qatar Grand Prix, Leclerc was asked what he expected from the 2026 Ferrari SF-26, given the development cycle is already well underway.

“It’s very difficult to have a hunch. It’s so secretive here in the paddock. Nobody talks to each other about next year’s car, so we really don’t know where everyone is,” he told reporters (via F1).

Charles Lelcerc adds:

“We’re all kind of saying the same thing, so we don’t really know where everyone else is. I don’t really want to spend energy trying to figure out where we are compared to everyone else. The best thing I can do is stay focused on the present, try to do the best job I can in the simulator, and hopefully that will pay off next year.”

Formula 1’s new rules have created uncertainty. From 2026, the sport will introduce lighter cars, redesigned powertrains with a 50-50 split between engine and electric power, increased battery power, sustainable fuels and active aerodynamics.

The FIA ​​has reduced downforce by 30% and drag by 55%, with movable front and rear wings replacing DRS. Drivers will also receive an electric “boost” that can be used when they are within a second of the car in front of them. The brakes will regenerate double the current energy and the overall hybrid deployment will reach 350 kW.

Ferrari’s debut offered mixed signals. In June, after his first simulator session, Charles Leclerc described the prototype as “not the most enjoyable racing car I have driven so far”. Other pilots also noted balance instability and inconsistent deployment under the new design philosophy.

Much of this will evolve during winter testing, and teams are still making basic setup decisions. The truth will only emerge when the cars undergo their first full test for the 2026 Challengers, scheduled for January 26 in Barcelona, ​​followed by two sessions in Bahrain. Teams will only understand their true competitiveness once these rounds begin.

---

Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton look to Ferrari’s preparation for 2026: ‘Motivated for next year’

Ferrari finished 2024 just 14 points from the constructors’ title, their best campaign in years, and signed Lewis Hamilton to partner Charles Leclerc. However, this season has been a step backwards for them. With two rounds remaining, the Scuderia is in fourth place, 13 points behind Red Bull and 53 behind Mercedes, without a win.

Leclerc said Ferrari had already shifted its resources towards 2026.

“I’m really motivated for next year,” he told F1. “There has been so much work behind the scenes and we stopped this year’s development with a vision for next year, trying to be ahead of the others.”

He said Ferrari saw the rule change as a new opening.

“Everyone is working extremely hard because everyone knows it’s a big opportunity. This year hasn’t been so great and especially recently we’re not fighting where we want to be, so I’m looking forward to next year as an opportunity to get back to the top,” he added.

Lewis Hamilton echoed this view after another difficult season for him.

“We will analyze the season and we have to make a lot of improvements collectively,” he told the BBC. “We all have to play our part. I think we can make these changes with a better package next year.”

Qatar offers the Scuderia another chance to stabilize their campaign. Hamilton won at Lusail in 2021, while Charles Leclerc finished second last season. With hot and dry conditions expected, both drivers will be hoping the track will give Ferrari something more stable to close out a difficult year in red before turning its full attention to 2026.