Charles Leclerc Highlights Ferrari Excitement Ahead of F1 2026

Formula 1, Sportrik Media - Charles Leclerc has described “excitement” as the dominant feeling in Formula 1 after the new-generation cars took to the track for the first time during last week’s opening pre-season running.

The Barcelona shakedown at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya marked the first on-track outing of the new technical era, with Scuderia Ferrari completing 435 laps across its permitted three days of running. That total ranked Ferrari second overall for mileage, behind only Mercedes, underlining a programme focused on system checks and early data gathering rather than outright performance.

Ferrari enters the new regulatory cycle aiming to alter the competitive pecking order, with its last world championship success dating back to 2008. An 18-year title drought provides both context and pressure for the Maranello-based team as it seeks to capitalise on one of the most comprehensive technical resets in Formula 1 history.

Following Ferrari’s first sustained running of the new car, Leclerc said a sense of anticipation is evident within the team and across the paddock, as drivers and engineers adjust to significantly revised technical demands.

“I think there’s a lot of excitement, not only in Ferrari but around the whole paddock,” Leclerc said.

“It’s an exciting time for Formula 1, with so much change that we have to adapt as drivers and as teams, and try to find ways to maximise what is now our new package.”

Leclerc highlighted energy management as one of the most decisive elements of the new regulations, noting that it now plays a far greater role than in previous seasons. As a result, Ferrari’s Barcelona programme prioritised understanding operational behaviour rather than extracting headline lap times.

“Especially with this energy management, which is much more important now compared to the past,” he added.

Pre-season testing will continue later this month in Bahrain, which will host two further three-day test sessions. Leclerc acknowledged that those outings are likely to offer a clearer indication of the early competitive hierarchy, but stressed that conclusions drawn from Barcelona alone would be premature.

“So yes, there is excitement, but apart from that not much more,” Leclerc said.

“It’s still very, very early days. I’m really looking forward to seeing what we’ll learn in Bahrain and, for now, just focusing on ourselves.”

With most teams using the Barcelona shakedown primarily to validate systems and ensure reliability, Ferrari’s true performance potential is expected to emerge more clearly during the Bahrain tests. The data gathered there will be crucial in assessing whether Leclerc’s optimism is supported by a solid technical foundation as Formula 1 prepares to enter a new era.