F1 News: Charles Leclerc 'hires private team' for Ferrari investigation

Charles Leclerc at suzuka — Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari F1

Charles Leclerc 'hires private team' for Ferrari F1 investigation

The Ferrari star is prepared to beat Lewis Hamilton at all costs

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Sunday 5 April 2026 20:53

Ferrari F1 star Charles Leclerc has reportedly assembled his own team of private investigators to help solve a key issue.

While Ferrari's pace is much improved compared to last year, earning a podium in every single race thus far, there are still significant shortcomings with Ferrari’s new SF-26 power unit.

Early technical analysis reveal that the power unit is underpowered compared to Mercedes and there are issues with energy management on the straights.

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Now, to address these problems Leclerc has enlisted his own team of external consultants to optimise the software and help bring Ferrari back to the top.

Leclerc's determination to win

Federico Albano, known for sharing in-depth telemetry analyses on FormulaPassion, has explained the rationale behind the Leclerc's decision.

He said: "As far as I know, he’s put together a dedicated team to study the data and drill down into every detail. This isn’t even a group from Ferrari, but his own inner circle."

According to Albano, Leclerc’s approach underlines his determination, especially given Ferrari’s ongoing technical setbacks.

He added: "Charles is still very young, and many would understand if he grew frustrated by never having a winning car. But we all agree he has the potential to become a champion.

"Choosing to dig deep into the data like this shows an exceptional level of seriousness and professionalism."

F1 Ferrari Charles Leclerc