Leclerc laments Ferrari performance: “We don’t have a car to compete”

Leclerc: “It’s not a pleasant feeling” after the Singapore GP

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc expressed his disappointment after the Singapore Grand Prix, calling the experience “not a pleasant feeling.” Leclerc, who has seen his rivals compete for victories, has had to reassess expectations with the Ferrari car, which has not shown the expected performance.

While Ferrari has yet to achieve a victory in 2026, teams like McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have celebrated victories, with at least two victories each. Mercedes’ George Russell secured his team’s second victory at the Singapore Grand Prix, while Leclerc and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, struggled to reach sixth and eighth place, respectively, due to brake issues.

“From lap eight, basically, it was about managing those brakes. It made our race very, very difficult,” Leclerc stated.

Charles Leclerc

A video of Leclerc managing the brakes, where he is seen lifting his foot off the accelerator to be overtaken by Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes, has gone viral after the race.

Leclerc offered a sincere assessment of Ferrari’s current situation in the competition.

“Unfortunately, we don’t have the car to compete with those at the front. McLaren always had the same difference with us compared to the beginning of the year. Red Bull took a step from Monza and the same level as McLaren. Mercedes is now at the same level as McLaren and Red Bull, and then there’s us, and, obviously, it’s not easy, because you want to fight for better positions. But, for the moment, it feels like we are passengers in the car and we can’t extract much more than what there is to save the rest of the season,” added Leclerc.

Charles Leclerc

Compared to the previous year, when Ferrari competed with McLaren in the constructors’ championship, the current situation is a reminder of how Ferrari has lost ground. Leclerc, when asked about his season, commented that although he wouldn’t describe it as the most difficult, he did acknowledge that it’s complicated not to fight for victories, especially after a year like the previous one, where they competed for the World Championship. The driver added that, although a lot of energy is needed to face a situation like the current one, this motivates him even more to try to change things. “It’s very hard, especially after a race like today’s, where you’re not even fighting for a podium, you have to manage many problems. It’s simply not a pleasant feeling,” Leclerc concluded.