Charles Leclerc: “It’s not a pleasant feeling” after the Singapore GP
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc expressed his disappointment after the Singapore Grand Prix, describing the team’s current situation as “not a pleasant feeling.” Leclerc was frustrated to see his rivals competing for victories while Ferrari struggles to find its pace.
Ferrari has yet to achieve a victory in the 2026 season, while McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have secured significant wins. George Russell of Mercedes took the victory in Singapore, while Leclerc and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, finished in sixth and eighth place, respectively, dealing with brake issues.
“From lap eight, basically everything was about managing those brakes. It made our race very, very difficult”.
Charles Leclerc
Images of Leclerc having to lift and save fuel while being overtaken by Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes have gone viral after the race.Leclerc was candid about Ferrari’s current position in the competition. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the car to fight with those at the front,” he commented. “McLaren has always had the same gap to us compared to the beginning of the year. Red Bull took a step forward from Monza and is at 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, we feel like passengers in the car and can’t get much more out of what’s there to salvage from the rest of the season.”
In contrast to the previous year, when Ferrari competed with McLaren for the constructors’ championship until the last race, the current situation is different. McLaren has demonstrated superior performance, consolidating the championship with several races in advance.
Leclerc tried to maintain a positive attitude about the season: “I wouldn’t describe it as the most difficult season. I think every time you don’t fight for victories, it’s difficult, but obviously, coming from a year like the past, where you are fighting for the World Championship, the World Constructors’ Championship, and then you come here with high expectations… You have to lower your expectations from the beginning, and you don’t even see a progression throughout the year… It’s not easy.”
When asked if it was difficult to handle the feeling of disappointment from a year like 2025, he replied: “Yes, I mean, it takes a lot of energy, but that doesn’t demotivate me… it motivates me, if anything, much more to try to change the situation. But it is, I mean, it’s very hard, especially after a race like today, where you’re not even fighting for a podium, you have to manage a lot of problems. It’s simply not a pleasant feeling.”
