Jun.3 (GMM) Charles Leclerc insists Ferrari remains firmly in the 2026 title fight despite Mercedes’ dominant start to the season.
The Monegasque heads to Monaco under pressure after Lewis Hamilton outperformed him throughout the Canadian GP weekend, but Ferrari is still being tipped by some as the favourite for Monte Carlo.
Former Red Bull advisor Dr Helmut Marko believes the unique demands of Monaco could finally halt Mercedes’ winning run.
“Mercedes is clearly the strongest team,” he told Osterreich newspaper.
“They have the best engine and are also setting the standard with the battery. For the first time since 2021, they’ve managed to build a competitive chassis again, and they also have a strong driver pairing.”
Marko said Mercedes’ biggest threat may come from within.
“I find it very refreshing how young Antonelli is making the car fly,” he said. “But Russell is the veteran – he’ll fight back.
“Their tearing each other apart is the only hope. Otherwise, Mercedes is far ahead.”
When asked specifically about Monaco, however, Marko pointed elsewhere.
“They’ll struggle with the slow corners,” he said.
“I see Leclerc ahead there – he’s at home on those corners and my favourite in qualifying. And whoever’s in front in Monaco will win the race.”
Leclerc is also refusing to write off Ferrari’s championship chances, despite Mercedes winning every race so far this season.
“Of course, the title race is open,” the Monegasque told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“This season could still go a variety of ways, and the championship race remains open. We must continue to work hard and maintain our enthusiasm, especially within the team.”
Leclerc pointed to Formula 1’s all-new regulations as a reason for optimism.
“Can we beat Mercedes? Yes, of course,” he said.
“In a season like the one we’re experiencing now, with the new technical regulations, teams can progress very quickly as they develop their cars.
“We learned a lot about our car in the early stages, and then we did a lot of work on important updates in Maranello. Last year showed us how quickly the balance of power can change.”
There are already reports that Ferrari is still pushing aggressively with both aerodynamic and power unit development as it tries to close the gap to Mercedes.
Leclerc says the mood inside Maranello reflects that urgency.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team push itself so hard,” he said.
“We have a very aggressive mindset right now, which I really like, and it shows in everything – in production, in innovation, in the risks we’ve taken.”
At the same time, he believes Ferrari is now operating with a calmer and more mature approach than in previous years.
“There’s another difference I sense,” said Leclerc. “Calm.”
“We want to achieve results, but we also maintain a level head in managing all processes, which we lacked a few seasons ago.”