Ferrari is facing energy management issues with Charles Leclerc, and the Monegasque has now taken matters into his own hands by assembling a top-secret team of engineers.
The frustration heard over team radio in Suzuka after Q3 was not just an outburst, but the symptom of a technical issue that Leclerc is no longer willing to accept passively. His number one enemy at the start of this season has a precise name: superclipping. However, the #16 has now found a way to better study the energy deployment software.
In this new 2026 regulatory era, the reason why speed traces suddenly drop on straights—rather than before braking zones—is linked to efficiency and battery management. In this area, the SF-26 is currently paying a deficit estimated at around 25 horsepower compared to the untouchable W17 of Mercedes. A gap that has pushed Leclerc into making an unprecedented move.
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Instead of waiting for developments from the factory, Leclerc has decided to take direct action. According to the latest rumors reported by Federico Albano of FormulaPassion, the Ferrari driver has set up a personal analysis team to find a workaround solution to the problem.
This private task force, which also includes technicians and IT experts from outside Ferrari’s Gestione Sportiva, has been given a clear mandate: to dissect the power unit data collected in the first three races. Leclerc’s goal is to use the April break to develop alternative driving approaches and energy maps, studying harvesting and deployment flows in order to arrive in Miami fully prepared and challenge the W17s of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
Main and other photos: Ferrari.com
