If Charles Leclerc is to be believed, Ferrari could secure its first world championship title in almost 20 years this season
Charles Leclerc recently emphasized in a podcast that Ferrari has made “good progress with the car” during the Formula 1 break between Japan and Miami. The 28-year-old commented on the development of the car in the BSMT podcast
“I think we have made good progress with the car,” said the Monegasque. “I think we have a good car. I’m enjoying it at the moment. The team is doing a good job with the updates, the engineers are doing a fantastic job. And I’m having a lot of fun driving it.“
Leclerc had the following to say about the competitiveness of the SF-26: ”We have what it takes to be competitive. The car allows me to develop. I have the pace, there is pace [in the car], now it’s up to me. I have to take advantage of opportunities like this, stay consistent, not make mistakes, and I believe that if I can do that, then I can keep up.“
Leclerc also emphasizes: ”The championship is long, and factors like strategy or luck change over time. It’s important to focus on the things you can control, your performance and your consistency. I think that if you are consistent enough, you can be at the front in the end. That’s exactly what we’re trying to do.”
After three races, things are not looking too bad for Leclerc in the championship standings. With 49 points, he is in third place in the championship table and is the first non-Mercedes driver in the standings. At the same time, the 2026 Silver Arrow is without doubt the benchmark of the field.
Nevertheless, Leclerc believes: “Yes, I think we can fight for the title. If we have the pace and if we implement it well, then yes, we can fight for it.“
The last time Ferrari won a world championship was in 2008, at that time ”only” in the constructors’ championship. The last double for the Maranello squad was in 2007, with Kimi Räikkönen as the drivers’ world champion. If the Ferrari driver’s optimism is confirmed, it would be the first Ferrari triumph in almost twenty years in 2026.
Leclerc is particularly full of praise for the collaboration with his team: “I work very well with my engineer. We’re on the same wavelength, we get on really well, and that’s crucial.”
In this respect, the Monegasque may have an advantage over Lewis Hamilton. After more than a decade at Mercedes, his team-mate had to get used to a completely new environment last year.
