Leclerc laments Ferrari: “We don’t have a car to fight” after P6 in Singapore

Leclerc Expresses Frustration After Singapore Grand Prix

The visibly disappointed driver Charles Leclerc shared his feelings after the Singapore Grand Prix, where Ferrari failed to compete for the victory. Leclerc admitted that “it’s not a pleasant feeling” to have to adjust expectations in the face of the car’s inferior performance, while watching his rivals fight for the top positions. While Ferrari has yet to achieve any victories in 2026, teams like McLaren, Red Bull, and Mercedes have celebrated triumphs, demonstrating their superiority on the track. George Russell of Mercedes secured the second victory of the year for his team in Singapore, while Leclerc and his teammate, Lewis Hamilton, struggled to reach sixth and eighth place, respectively, due to brake problems.

From lap eight, basically, it was all about managing those brakes. It made our race very, very complicated.

Charles Leclerc

A video of Leclerc having to lift off the throttle and save fuel while being overtaken by the Mercedes driver, Kimi Antonelli, has gone viral after the race.

Leclerc offered a candid assessment of Ferrari’s position in the competition.

Unfortunately, we don’t have the race car to fight with those in front.

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc continued to explain that McLaren has maintained a consistent advantage, Red Bull has improved since Monza, and Mercedes now competes at the same level as McLaren and Red Bull. This leaves Ferrari in a difficult position, where the drivers feel they cannot extract more performance from the car. In contrast to the previous year, where Ferrari competed with McLaren in the constructors’ championship, the current situation is very different. McLaren secured the championship this year, while Ferrari has seen its performance decline. 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’re not fighting for wins, it’s difficult, but obviously, coming from a year like the past one, where you’re fighting for the World Championship, the Constructors’ World Championship, and then you come here with high expectations.

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc added that he has had to lower his expectations and has not seen progress throughout the year, which is not easy. When asked about how he manages the disappointment of a season 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.

Charles Leclerc

Leclerc concluded that it’s very tough, especially after a race like the one in Singapore, where he couldn’t even fight for a podium and had to deal with many problems. “It’s simply not a pleasant feeling,” he finished.