As the 2026 Formula 1 season kicks off amid major technical changes, Charles Leclerc shared his thoughts on Ferrari’s prospects and his own future during an interview with Sky Sport F1. While recently married to Alexandra, Leclerc did not rule out the possibility of a long-term stay at Ferrari, although he stopped short of confirming a permanent contract. He said,
“A lifetime contract? I don’t know if that has ever been done,”
and added,
“But we are definitely talking about it.”
Assessing Ferrari’s Chances Against Mercedes
Ferrari fans eagerly await the SF-26‘s ability to challenge for this year’s World Championship. Leclerc expressed cautious optimism based on early testing data but acknowledged uncertainties about the competition.
“We are happy with how we have worked,”
he noted.
“One of the weak points in 2025 was the pre-season test, but this year it was very good and gave us a lot of information.”
Leclerc acknowledged the difficulty of ranking rival teams, explaining that no one fully knows how hard others are pushing. He said,
“If Mercedes brings 50 more horsepower here in Australia, we’d be behind, but I hope that’s not the case.”
Currently, he feels Ferrari is
“second or third, along with Red Bull, with McLaren slightly behind but very close,”
but expressed that “Mercedes, however, looks ahead.” He stressed that ongoing developments during the season will be critical.
Ferrari’s Strength in Race Starts
One potential Ferrari advantage lies in race starts, where the SF-26’s robustness appears to stand out. Leclerc expressed measured confidence about this area, stating,
“We are definitely more ‘robust’ than the others,”
and added,
“Given the direction we have taken, that’s normal. But over the season, the others will find their robustness too.”
He tempered expectations about a large edge in peak performance at the start, remarking,
“Even if the others do everything perfectly, I don’t think we will have a huge advantage—but I hope I’m wrong.”
He emphasized that starts are a key element, especially with overtaking proving difficult during testing.
“The start is certainly a crucial part of the race, perhaps the most important given the difficulty overtaking we observed in testing, and in this area, we are certainly on the ‘good side.’”
Looking Ahead to the Australian Grand Prix and Beyond
The true measure of Ferrari’s early season competitiveness and whether race start gains will lead to a victory will unfold at the Australian Grand Prix. Leclerc’s pragmatic tone reflects Ferrari’s progress in addressing prior pre-season weaknesses, but he openly recognizes Mercedes as a formidable rival shaping the championship fight for 2026. By highlighting the technical challenge of overtaking, Leclerc implies that securing track position off the line could become Ferrari’s most decisive factor in their pursuit of the title.
