Leclerc says Ferrari "have to maximise what we have" after qualifying in Spa

Leclerc is Formula One's most recent race winner in 2026 after his Silverstone triumph | Credit: Formula One

Despite out-qualifying his teammate Lewis Hamilton for a third consecutive Grand Prix after his win last time out in Silverstone, Ferrari's Charles Leclerc has kept his expectations realistic ahead of the 2026 Belgian Grand Prix. Finishing qualifying in fifth, Leclerc will start Sunday's race in fourth after McLaren's Lando Norris' 10-place grid penalty will be applied to his starting position.

Although Ferrari have not been the fastest team in Spa so far this weekend, even their usual flashes of pace were not seen with neither driving topping a practice session this weekend. Speaking about the difference in performance between Friday and Saturday, Leclerc was clear that this deficit was "a lot more in line with what we [the team] expected". He further highlighted that "it's the way it is" with how things currently stand at the front between themselves and Mercedes; both Red Bull and McLaren have yet to establish themselves as true front-runners so far in 2026.

Discussing the brewing battle between Ferrari and the Silver Arrows, the Monagasque driver maintained that even with the upgrades that Ferrari have steadily been adding to their cars so far this season, Mercedes still "have a very strong package". Building on this idea, he was clear that "they [Mercedes] are on the better side of things" when it comes to "raw power".

Leclerc, who is no stranger to qualifying on pole position with 27 career pole positions to his name, has yet to prove his pace over one lap in 2026. So far this season, it has been either current championship leader Kimi Antonelli or his teammate George Russell who have set the pace in qualifying, highlighting the dominance that Mercedes have over one lap compared to the other 10 teams.

Even with Norris ahead taking a penalty therefore boosting Leclerc up one position on the starting grid, the Ferrari driver revealed that he was still "a bit disappointed with the final lap" in Q3. He further added that he believed "one position would have been possible". With Spa known for its overtaking opportunities, Leclerc may still be in with a change for a good result on Sunday especially with a second-row start.