Charles Leclerc says he is beginning to feel increasingly at home behind the wheel of Ferrari’s SF-26, and his latest podium has given the Monegasque fresh belief that a long-awaited victory could be within reach before the 2026 season draws to a close.
Second place at the United States Grand Prix marked Leclerc’s second runner-up finish in as many race weekends, following his performance in Singapore.
At Austin, the Ferrari driver fought hard against Max Verstappen and Lando Norris before crossing the line 13 seconds behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli.
A breakthrough in the Ferrari cockpit
The result was another encouraging sign for Ferrari, but Leclerc’s growing confidence may be just as significant.
“The feeling with the car is getting better and better,” he said after Sunday’s race in Austin.
“These cars are very specific and unique, and I feel like, over the last two or three races, I've unlocked something again in terms of driving, and particularly the set-up with my driving.
“Just both together, we've taken a step forward, and I just feel much more comfortable with the car.
“So I hope that this will result in a win soon. Whether it's in Singapore or here in Austin, we were quite close, so I'm confident that we'll have a shot at winning a race before the end of the season.”
While Leclerc has now demonstrated twice that he can put himself in contention for a big result, he was nevertheless careful not to get carried away.
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With rival teams preparing further developments for the closing rounds, he knows Ferrari’s recent gains will count for little if its competitors find another performance advantage.
“Whether I can convert that into a win is a bit difficult to predict, because it's such fine margins, and it also depends on what the upgrade plans of the others are in upcoming races,” he admitted.
Ferrari now heads to Mexico City for next weekend’s round of racing. With five race weekends remaining, Leclerc has precious little time to turn his renewed confidence into a victory, but Austin has strengthened his conviction that the opportunity is there.
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