Although Charles Leclerc generally made the most of his SF-25, even his best efforts weren’t enough to salvage Ferrari’s season. With seven podiums and a 5th place finish in the drivers standings, Leclerc can be said to have optimised his machinery.
This means from an individual perspective, the Monegasque can certainly be satisfied with his output.
Then again, Leclerc would much rather his efforts translated into race wins and Championship contention. More so than ever before, there is a sense that his patience with Ferrari is wearing thin.
His comments after Abu Dhabi, along with other snippets of evidence, highlight why 2026 is make-or-break.
Leclerc fully focused on a strong 2026
When Leclerc joined Ferrari in 2019, the team had designed highly competitive cars in consecutive seasons (2017 and 2018).
Despite missing out on the title in both campaigns, Ferrari were certainly within striking range. Having debuted with the Italian outfit at 21, Leclerc surely imagined he would at least contend for a world title in the foreseeable future.
Seven seasons later, and the #16 car has still not been involved in a title battle.
In many ways, Ferrari’s strong 2024 campaign necessitated high expectations for 2025. The acquisition of Lewis Hamilton further added to the excitement of a project rejuvenated under Fred Vasseur.
Of course, it only took a few months for the team to essentially write the season off.
Because of this disappointment, Charles Leclerc has spent the best part of a year thinking about the 2026 regulations. He correctly identifies that next year could determine Ferrari’s fate until 2030:
“It’s tough,” he told Sky Sports. “But at the same time, I think the whole team is hugely motivated for next year.
“Because it’s such a big change, a huge opportunity to show what Ferrari is capable of – and it’s now or never.
“So I really hope that we start this new era on the right foot, because it’s important for the four years after.”
What’s at stake for Leclerc and Ferrari
As previously discussed on LWOS, the assumption that Leclerc will continue at Ferrari must be revisited. At 28 years of age, the 8-time race winner is theoretically entering his prime years.
This means his next contract could be decisive in whether he is in a position to become a World Champion.
At face value, this reality does not necessarily mean 2026 will be his last year at Ferrari. One unavoidable consequence, however, is that Leclerc must see enough from Ferrari next year to justify committing to them.
Virtually every team and driver will be active in next year’s market, and someone like Leclerc will have extensive options.
Aston Martin are already being mentioned as a potential landing spot for 2027. The British squad could become an especially attractive destination if the Honda engine delivers at a high level.
Looking beyond Lawrence Stroll’s squad, the big teams should also be active over the next twelve months. Mercedes’ contract negotiations with George Russell were so extensive because of Toto Wolff’s belief that Max Verstappen could be available in ’26.
To be clear, it would be premature to say Leclerc is on his way out of Maranello. What cannot be denied, however, is that Ferrari need a race-winning package to prevent the #16 from looking at other destinations.
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Main photo: Scuderia Ferrari Media Gallery