Leclerc Expresses Disappointment After Singapore Grand Prix
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc shared his frustration after the Singapore Grand Prix, describing the team’s current situation as “not a pleasant feeling.”
While Ferrari has yet to achieve a victory in 2026, its competitors McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have celebrated triumphs, with at least two victories each. George Russell gave Mercedes its second victory of the year at the Singapore Grand Prix, while Leclerc and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, struggled to obtain sixth and eighth place respectively, both with brake problems.
“From lap eight, basically everything was about managing those brakes. It made our race very, very difficult,” Leclerc said on Sunday.
Charles Leclerc
Images of Leclerc having to lift and maintain speed while being overtaken by the Mercedes driver, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, have gone viral since the end of the race.Charles Leclerc finalizó sexto en Singapur.Leclerc offered a sincere assessment of Ferrari’s position in the competition. “Unfortunately, we don’t have the race car to fight with the guys in front. McLaren always had the same difference with us compared to the beginning of the year. Red Bull took a step forward from Monza and the same level of McLaren,” he said.
“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 from what’s there to save for the rest of the season,” added Leclerc.
The Ferrari driver reflected on the current season, admitting that it is not easy to deal with unfulfilled expectations. “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,” he explained.
When asked about managing the disappointment of a year like 2025, Leclerc 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’s, where you’re not even fighting for a podium, you have to manage a lot of problems. It’s just not a pleasant feeling.”
