Ferrari head into the April break sitting second in the Teams’ Championship, but Charles Leclerc believes the team must address a crucial shortfall if they are to catch Mercedes in the 2026 Formula 1 season.
After securing podium finishes at each of the first three Grands Prix, the Scuderia have enjoyed a solid start. However, Leclerc singled out the power unit as Ferrari’s “main weakness” so far, following a reflective assessment after the Japanese Grand Prix.
“I think doing a step back on those first three races, there’s a clear thing that we need to improve and this is surely the power unit,” Leclerc stated. “But we obviously cannot bring anything to Miami. There’s not only that—everything is very new this year. The rate of improvement from every team is massive, so there’s a lot more than just the power unit.”
Leclerc also noted that factors such as tyre management, aerodynamics, and chassis performance remain key focus areas for the Italian team as they look to close the gap to Mercedes and keep McLaren at bay.
“We’re working flat out to put the tyres in the right window, improve the aero, and get the chassis right. The power unit is maybe our main weakness at the moment, but there are many other things that can definitely help us close the gap in the meantime,” he added.
Leclerc currently sits third in the Drivers’ Championship with 49 points, trailing Mercedes drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, who lead with 72 and 63 points, respectively, as the series prepares for the next round in Miami.
