Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc doesn’t believe the 2026 Formula 1 regulations have created artificial racing, as it doesn’t feel that way from the cockpit.Leclerc’s statement came after the 2026 Chinese Grand Prix, which he spent fighting with teammate Lewis Hamilton for the final step on the podium as both Mercedes drivers, winner Kimi Antonelli and George Russell, raced into the distance.
Leclerc said of the racing in Shanghai: “I enjoy it, and it doesn’t feel so artificial from inside the car.
But then, somehow contradicting himself, he added: “Of course, you’ve got those overtakes where it’s artificial, whenever someone is doing a mistake with the battery and completely drains it and then there’s a massive speed difference.
“But, I feel like we are all converging a little bit towards knowing where we shouldn’t go and where we can try and take the risk, and so that creates very interesting overtaking places. I think today was the showing of that,” the Monegasque explained.
Reflecting on his fight with Hamilton, one he ultimately lost, Leclerc said: “I really enjoyed it. I’m not sure if you ask the team, they will reply the same. But I really enjoyed it.
A fair battle
“Honestly, these cars for races; it’s actually quite fun, and yeah, it was just a cool race. At the end of the day, Lewis was just stronger, and I’m happy for his podium. I’m, of course, disappointed for losing out on the podium on my side, but I know I’ve given everything, and at the end of the day, Lewis was just stronger this weekend.
“It was a very fair, hard but fair battle, which was nice,” he insisted, “and then, there’s also a lot of tactics from inside the cockpit that is really cool. There was obviously this battle for who will get the overtake in the last corner, and we both brake very early.
“And the way you deploy and manage the energy, it was a fun race,” the Ferrari driver added, describing what can only be a Mario Kart game.
However, Leclerc did not fully adopt the narrative Formula One Management and their Spin Doctor Stefano Domenicali are pushing and thankfully pointed out an area the sport can improve.
He said: “It’s not those super high downforce cars that we used to have in the past.
“There are some things that we, of course, need to look at. To make it a little bit more Formula 1-like in qualifying because, I feel like there’s something that we miss.
“But I know the FIA is working on it, and hopefully, we’ll find a solution for that,” Leclerc concluded. (Reporting by Agnes Carlier)