Fourth on the grid after penalties, Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari is where it belongs at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Monegasque regrets a disrupted final lap but mainly points to the power deficit of the Scuderia compared to its main rivals.
Read more Will Verstappen leave Red Bull? Martin Brundle’s surprising prediction
Even though he will ultimately start from fourth place thanks to the penalty given to Lando Norris, Charles Leclerc did not leave the Spa-Francorchamps qualifying session with a smile. The Ferrari driver hoped for better but believes the result reflects the current level of the SF-26 on a circuit where engine power is crucial.
For the Monegasque, the hierarchy observed in Belgium is no surprise.
“Unfortunately, this is the current situation. I think the reality is much closer to what we expected here, as in Silverstone. Silverstone was a somewhat special weekend, whereas here we are more in the configuration we anticipated.”
A yellow flag that leaves regrets
Leclerc nevertheless has some regrets about his last attempt in Q3. According to him, a yellow flag displayed at the pit lane entrance disrupted his final sector, causing him to lose valuable time.
“I’m a bit disappointed with that last lap. There was a yellow flag that normally concerned the pit lane entrance, but it was, in my opinion, far too visible from the track. It probably cost me a position.”
The Ferrari driver acknowledges, however, that this incident would not have changed the face of qualifying.
“I wouldn’t have done an exceptional lap. The five-tenths gap would have remained, but there was probably a place to gain.”
Ferrari penalized by its engine
Asked about the gap separating Ferrari from Mercedes, Leclerc did not hesitate to point out the main weakness of the Scuderia: engine power.
Read more What time to watch the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix this Sunday?
“It’s mainly a question of pure power. They have an advantage in this area. We perform well when grip is the main factor, but when power makes the difference, we suffer more.”
The Monegasque emphasizes, however, that Mercedes does not shine only because of its power unit.
“They were also very fast in the corners today. They currently have a very competitive package. On our side, we just have to get the most out of our package on this type of circuit.”
The podium remains the goal
Despite this observation, Leclerc does not give up aiming for a good result on Sunday. He believes Ferrari has found a better balance over the weekend and hopes to fight for a place on the podium.
“We will try to get on the podium. Honestly, reproducing what we achieved in Silverstone will be complicated, but we will maximize our potential. The weekend has been difficult so far, but we have put the car back in a better window for qualifying, which makes me more confident for the race.”
The 28-year-old driver concludes with a touch of irony by returning to the limits of the Ferrari engine.
“There were still a few hundredths to gain in the last corner without that yellow flag, but not much more. Everything would be possible with a Mercedes engine! With the Ferrari engine, that’s not really the case, especially on a circuit where long straights are also important. We will simply do the maximum with what we have.”
Read more The explosive starting grid of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix