Charles Leclerc inadvertently revealed a technical detail Ferrari had not intended to share publicly following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Speaking to Italian media, the Ferrari driver confirmed that his SF-26 was running the team's latest power unit specification, including the ADUO update.
The revelation was significant because the status of Leclerc's latest-specification power unit had previously been unclear following his crash at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza. It had not been confirmed whether the engine could still be used. In Baku, however, the specification was fitted to Leclerc's car.
Ferrari apparently had no intention of making that detail public. When asked about the power unit he was using, Leclerc answered directly, seemingly unaware that he was revealing information the team preferred to keep private.
"I've got the latest one, the latest spec."
The Ferrari press officer standing beside Leclerc then began subtly shaking her head as he continued speaking. Her reaction quickly caught the driver's attention, prompting Leclerc to reconsider whether he had revealed something he was not supposed to discuss.
"I don't know if I'm saying something I shouldn't say, but I thought it was already known."
The exchange highlighted how sensitive technical information can be in Formula 1, where even a brief comment during a media session can reveal details about a team's development programme. Ferrari had not publicly confirmed that the latest power unit specification was being used by Leclerc in Baku, but the driver provided the information when questioned.
For Ferrari, the revelation concerns the development direction of the power unit installed in the SF-26. Leclerc only appeared to realise the sensitivity of his answer after noticing the reaction from the press officer beside him, creating one of the more amusing moments of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend.
The exchange also underlined the importance of information management in the F1 paddock, particularly when teams introduce new technical specifications that can offer clues about their development programme for the remainder of the season.
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