Jolyon Palmer says Charles Leclerc still ‘looks happier’ than Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari’s F1 car

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Charles Leclerc looks more comfortable than Lewis Hamilton in Ferrari’s 2026 F1 car, Jolyon Palmer says. Leclerc comfortably won the intra-team battle in 2025.

Hamilton put Leclerc’s advantage down to his experience at Ferrari; the Monegasque joined the Scuderia in 2019 and is about to move into second place on the team’s all-time start list.

However, Hamilton has said that the 2026 car features some of his ‘DNA’. He has been able to influence the development process for the first time.

Will Lewis Hamilton’s contribution to Ferrari’s car development be a gamechanger?

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Hamilton’s best time of the Bahrain test was a 1:33.408, set during the evening session on day two. Leclerc posted a 1:33.739 on day one but should lower his benchmark on the final day.

Charles Leclerc may have an edge on Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari

Speaking on the world feed before lunch on day three, Palmer attempted to predict the pecking order. Naturally, there will be drivers who maximise their car and drivers who underachieve.

Palmer puts Mercedes at the front of the field, just ahead of Ferrari. He hinted that Leclerc may be more likely to challenge the Silver Arrows.

Likewise, he says that Max Verstappen could raise Red Bull’s ceiling even though they appear to be the fourth-fastest team behind McLaren.

• READ MORE: Anthony Davidson says Lewis Hamilton now looks ‘at home’ in the Ferrari during F1 testing

“For me, Mercedes nudges it, from Ferrari,” Palmer predicted. “I think Leclerc looks happier than Hamilton in the Ferrari, but both of them are in a good state.”

“If they qualify second behind Mercedes, they’ll lead into turn one in Melbourne, with how things are.

“McLaren third, Red Bull fourth, but again, Verstappen in the Red Bull could jump higher. We know what he’s capable of.”

Jolyon Palmer predicts the midfield pecking order

Turning to the midfield, Palmer thinks that either Haas or Racing Bulls could be the best of the rest. The gap to the top four teams is expected to increase significantly this year.

Despite wild predictions that Alpine could score a podium at the start of the season, Palmer places them seventh ahead of a close battle between testing latecomers Williams and debutants Alpine.

And finally, the F1TV pundit fears that Aston Martin could be the slowest team in F1, even behind the brand-new Cadillac outfit.

“It’s the Haas or the Racing Bulls. I think Alpine are seventh. I might be wrong on this, but my hunch is that they’re going to be just behind.

“They’ll be seventh. Eighth, it’s either going to be a heavy Williams or a young Audi. Let’s give it to the heavy Williams.

“That leaves two teams at the bottom. Honestly, at this stage, might Cadillac get ahead of Aston Martin?”