F1 star Charles Leclerc lays bare Ferrari frustration: 'It's very difficult to be confident'

Antonelli and Leclerc after race at Spa-Francorchamps — Photo: © IMAGO

Charles Leclerc

Charles Leclerc lays bare Ferrari frustration: 'It's very difficult to be confident'

Ferrari are looking likely to mount a championship challenge

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Thursday 23 July 2026 15:27

Make us your Google favorite

Ferrari F1 star Charles Leclerc has admitted that he is 'not driving completely naturally' in 2026, as his form struggles begin to subside.

Leclerc has claimed back-to-back grand prix podiums in the sport, winning the British Grand Prix earlier in July before finishing second at the Belgian GP last time out.

His turnaround in form has boosted Ferrari's constructors' championship chances, with seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton also stepping up so far in 2026.

Article continues under video

Leclerc finished 86 points ahead of Hamilton in the 2025 drivers' standings but, after nine grand prix weekends, he found himself 46 points behind the Brit as Hamilton began to get his Ferrari team on side and pick up some impressive results.

But now they both seem to be picking up those results, fantastic news for Ferrari, but perhaps dampening hopes that Hamilton can challenge Mercedes driver Kimi Antonelli for the drivers' championship.

Leclerc has said that the new regulations which swept into F1 at the start of the 2026 season have made him change his driving style, and it seemed in the early season as though Hamilton had adapted to those changes much faster than his Ferrari team-mate.

Now, Leclerc has revealed where he is at in his learning of the new regulations, having had back-to-back impressive results.

Leclerc admits he's still struggling

While admitting that he has made progress throughout 2026, Leclerc has revealed that he is still not feeling entirely comfortable in the new cars.

"I'm confident in saying that I made a step forward," Leclerc told media after the Belgian GP. "Whether I'm at the level where I want to perform, not yet.

"There are still things in the car that I need to drive around. I cannot drive completely naturally, and that is slowing me down in some parts of the race.

"So, there are still things that I've got to work on in order to be better. But surely it was a step forward, and for that I'm happy.

"I'll continue with the one-race-at-a-time approach because, with these cars, it's very difficult to be confident that if one race weekend goes well, the other one will, because it relies on such small details.

"With what you do with your driving, it's never a given that you get the same deployment from one lap to the other, and that's maybe the frustrating bit about these cars."

F1 HEADLINES: Hamilton deals title hopes blow as FIA talks confirmed for Hungarian Grand Prix

F1 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari Charles Leclerc British Grand Prix Hungarian Grand Prix