Leclerc’s driving style is suited to 2026 cars

According to the Italian outlet Analisi Tecnica, the new cars would suit the Monegasque driver’s driving style, potentially allowing him to shine next season if Ferrari manage to deliver a race-winning car — given the team’s track record over the past 18 years, seems highly unlikely.

Photo: @SCUDERIAFERRARIHP

There is no intention to spread that Charles Leclerc and Ferrari will be fighting at the front — far from it. The team is going through a prolonged crisis that is not expected to come to an end at the start of Formula 1’s new era, although the opposite outcome would, of course, be widely celebrated.

Analisi Tecnica suggests that the new 2026 cars could be well suited to the Monegasque driver’s characteristic driving style, claiming that the new regulations may be effectively ‘designed' for Charles Leclerc.

These statements are not reason to think of a scenario in which the Ferrari driver becomes the man to beat, but he does possess qualities that could bring him back into the conversation as one of the three best drivers of the season.

Photo: @FUNOANALISITECNICA

The change Formula 1 is set to introduce in 2026 will be defined by a look and feel that is completely different from the ground-effect generation: cars with less grip, narrower tyres, greater rear-end instability, and a significant 20% reduction in aerodynamic downforce, according to Ferrari.

In 2026, the new cars are expected to lean towards oversteer, as drivers’ confidence in the amount of grip available would be reduced — forcing them to go out and find it. That is precisely the kind of scenario in which the driver becomes a key, differentiating factor, but not as relevant as power units.

This is where Leclerc’s strengths would come into play. Since his early days at Ferrari, he has often driven set-ups where oversteer is a defining feature. The FIA’s sanction over the illegality of Ferrari’s 2019 engine pushed the team to sacrifice cornering performance in order to boost top speed. Since then, it has been well established that Charles thrives in cars with a “lively” rear end — something that, for many drivers, is a limitation. For the Monegasque, though, beyond being a demand, it can actually make him quicker: he tolerates that trait better than some of his rivals.

Photo: @SCUDERIAFERRARIHP

He is a driver with outstanding car-control — quick to correct slides and able to sense the limit of grip — and he also excels under braking, which will be crucial for energy recovery in the next generation of cars, as another of his key strengths.

Photo: @SCUDERIAFERRARIHP

Where does this leave Lewis Hamilton?

After turning 41 and enduring a 2025 seaon full of struggles, the ground-effect era has been a torment for him.

The British driver will be under pressure to step up in 2026, not only for his own mental stability but also to avoid tarnishing his status as a legend.

His golden age and best performance were seen in a generation of cars with excellent aerodynamic downforce and absolute rear-end stability: Mercedes from 2014 to 2021. He is a driver who seeks to preserve his tyres, so making as few corrections as possible is crucial to exploiting his talent.

Photo: @EUROSPORT

Hamilton's driving style was built around a loaded front-end and rear stability that allowed him to drive with impeccable confidence. This aspect has faded to the point of becoming a difficult problem to sustain, especially in 2025. The question is whether he will be able to adapt quickly to the new cars, which appear to be closer to his teammate's preferences.

This is not about an unfair treatment by the team towards either driver, this is up to Lewis to bounce back from the past and find performance. He is a well-experienced and talented driver to make it happen.

Photo: @SCUDERIAFERRARIHP

Another season like 2025 would push Lewis Hamilton closer to Formula 1’s farewell and Charles Leclerc to leaving the team of his dreams after performing above the capabilities of the cars he’s driven.

Ferrari is more than forced to hit the track with a winning-car. Otherwise, the team will have to look for other options mid-season.