Charles Leclerc has acknowledged that Zandvoort is not traditionally a circuit that suits Ferrari, but he believes the new regulations introduced this season could act as a great equalizer, giving his team a chance to shine.
The Monegasque driver endured a torrid weekend at the Dutch Grand Prix last year, retiring after being punted into the wall by Andrea Kimi Antonelli at Turn 3. It was another nightmare moment in a season full of them for both Leclerc and Ferrari, as the team struggled alongside the rookie's difficult debut campaign.
Fast forward 12 months, and the tables have turned dramatically. Charles Leclerc now leads the Drivers' Championship after securing his first win in nearly two years at the British Grand Prix. Ferrari's SF-26 chassis has proven strong enough to compensate for some engine deficits compared to Mercedes and Red Bull, making them genuine contenders.
The major technical regulation changes have undoubtedly been key to the order changing this season. Leclerc is confident that the characteristics of the new cars could reshuffle the pack at Zandvoort, which will host its final F1 race for the foreseeable future.
"It's true, historically it's not been a particularly strong track for us," he told media, including Motorsport Week. "At the same time, these cars are so different that I think it can reshuffle a little bit the packing order. It's also a track layout that is quite technical, and normally technical tracks are a bit more positive for us this year."
Leclerc added that Ferrari now understands why they struggled in the past. "We had a good understanding on why we were struggling here with the previous generations of cars. I tend to think that we won't have those same issues this year, and I hope I'm right," he said.
Weather is also a major talking point this weekend, with rain looking extremely likely – the first true wet test for the 2026 cars. Leclerc admits he has no idea whether it will help Ferrari or level the field. "To be fair, I don't know. The last time I drove in the wet with this car was in Barcelona testing, and it was just me and Max. Since then, there have been lots of upgrades. It's a very different car. I expect a very tricky weekend because it's a very difficult track," he concluded.
Baca Juga
George Russell ungkap detail lamaran ke Carmen Montero Mundt saat jeda musim panas F1, dan siap menghadapi perebutan gelar dengan Kimi Antonelli.
Lewis Hamilton mengungkap kunci sukses Ferrari di F1 2026: kolaborasi tim yang erat dan inovasi. Ia kini menempel ketat Andrea Kimi Antonelli di klasemen.
Cadillac F1 ganti prinsipal tim di tengah musim. Marcin Budkowski dituntut perbaiki performa, atasi masalah teknis, dan percepat progres tim.
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