Charles Leclerc is trying to ‘subdue’ his excitement over Ferrari’s F1 car ahead of 2026 season

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Charles Leclerc enjoyed an impressive pre-season testing campaign with Ferrari in 2026, but he is said to be hiding his true feelings about the SF-26.

The Monegasque driver is desperate to have a successful season in 2026, after enduring a frustrating 2025. Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled with the inconsistent SF-25, finishing fourth in the championship with no wins.

Ferrari focused their attention on the new technical regulations early in 2025 as they look to return to the front of the grid. Pre-season testing painted a positive picture for the Maranello outfit and their pace and reliability looked strong.

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F1 CEO and former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali says Leclerc and Hamilton feel more confident heading into 2026. The team have listened to their feedback and have thus provided them with a much more comfortable car.

There was some scepticism in testing, however, as Ruth Buscombe says Ferrari ‘always’ turn up their engines during pre-season. Nevertheless, the SF-26 has left Leclerc feeling encouraged about the new season.

Charles Leclerc is trying to ‘subdue’ his real excitement over Ferrari’s SF-26

Jolyon Palmer said Leclerc is still happier than Hamilton at Ferrari, given his experience with the team and how accustomed he is to the setup. But many people in the paddock believe the Monegasque driver is hiding his true excitement over the package.

Journalist Samuel Coop noted via RacingNews365 that many people got the impression that Leclerc was trying to ‘subdue’ his excitement. He thinks that Ferrari might have ‘nailed’ the new regulations.

Aston Martin are currently facing a 38kph deficit to Ferrari’s engine! Do you think they’ll even QUALIFY for the Australian Grand Prix?!

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“Ferrari will be feeling very pleased with themselves,” he said. “They will argue that they don’t have the strongest power unit, that it’s still Mercedes, but the long-run pace was very strong.

“And from some accounts that I’ve seen online of people in the paddock, and maybe Ian, you can corroborate this, people were saying that you got the impression that, particularly Charles, was trying to kind of subdue this…

“You just almost could feel this smile trying to escape from him, burst out of: ‘Yeah, I think we might have in the early stages of this nailed it a little bit and this could be a really good opportunity.”

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Charles Leclerc has ruled out joining Ferrari rival in 2027 amid exit rumours

Entering his eighth season with the Maranello outfit, Leclerc is growing impatient with Ferrari. His lack of success with the team since joining in 2019 has prompted speculation that he could leave at the end of 2026.

Leclerc’s management has been planning for ‘months’ for his future as they consider their options for the 2027 season, if Ferrari’s SF-26 cannot deliver the results.

Aston Martin have been heavily linked with the 28-year-old in recent months, with Fernando Alonso’s contract expiring in 2026. Adrian Newey thinks Leclerc is ‘best suited’ to his car with his driving style.

However, Leclerc is not interested in replacing Alonso at Aston Martin in 2027. Above all else, he wants to win with Ferrari, and 2026 could be the year.