Leclerc draws the line - calls 2026 ‘now or never’ season for Ferrari

Charles Leclerc’s 2025 season ended at Yas Marina without a podium, compelling the Monegasque driver to deliver a blunt message to his Ferrari team: the next chapter is critical, and there’s no room for missteps.

The Monegasque put in a valiant drive in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, capitalising on George Russell’s slow getaway to gain positions early. He spent the opening laps pressuring Lando Norris, but despite showing glimpses of speed, he was never able to mount a proper attack on the McLaren.

Like Norris, Leclerc had opted for a two-stop strategy and the Scuderia charger was initially surprised by his early pace in the 58-lap race.

“I did not expect it to be that fast, because we had the same pace as the guys here,” Leclerc admitted after the race.

“We had a few amount of laps, then I did the two-stop in order to put a bit more pressure on the McLaren and try and do something different. But obviously Lando was kind of copying me, so it wasn’t as exciting.

“I think the one-stop anyway was the right strategy, I wanted to try something different, considering I wouldn’t have passed on the same [tyres] he had done.”

Despite his spirited efforts at Yas Marina, Leclerc’s disappointment in his 2025 campaign was impossible to ignore, especially compared to Ferrari’s strength twelve months earlier.

“I think during the season, race after race, you keep your head high, you try and not have the disappointment get to you,” he said. “But now that everything is finished, I realised I wanted to forget about this season that has been very disappointing.”

• Read also: Team Talk – Sunday night in Abu Dhabi

For Leclerc, a winless year is evidently hard to swallow.

“It’s tough, whether it’s the toughest [season] or not, I don’t know,” he added. ‘ tend to forget those negative emotions as quickly as possible, so I don’t know if it’s the worst one, but for sure it’s a very difficult one.”

‘It’s now or never for Ferrari’

With a complete overhaul of the technical regulations set for 2026, Ferrari has a rare chance to reset.

But for Leclerc, the message is clear: Ferrari must hit the ground running, or risk watching rivals pull away while another four-year window of opportunity slips by.

“It’s tough, 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,” he said.

“And it’s now or never, so I really hope that we will start this new era on the right foot, because it’s important for the four years after.”

• Read also: Leclerc says Ferrari early pivot to 2026 ‘a no-brainer’

The opening stretch of the 2026 season could define the next era of Formula 1 dominance. Leclerc believes the first seven races will reveal which teams are prepared to rise.

“Yeah, I think it will be, yes,” he confirmed when asked whether the early races could set the long-term pecking order.

For Ferrari, the warning is clear: the new rules represent a fresh slate, but also a make-or-break moment. For Leclerc, patience is over – the 2026 season won’t be just another campaign, it will be a defining one.

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