The Ferrari driver said the 2026 regulations, particularly the revised power unit rules, have introduced far more variables than in previous seasons, making it difficult to identify exactly where time is being lost.
Leclerc enjoyed a strong start to the campaign before struggling through races in Monaco and Canada. However, changes made around the British Grand Prix helped him regain confidence in the Ferrari heading into the summer break.
Speaking about the challenge of adapting to the new cars, Leclerc explained that drivers must be careful when changing their driving style because the car’s systems may react differently.
“It really depends on the power units and the way everything is set up,” Leclerc said.
“These cars have so many different variables that it’s not like in the past, where you could look at the data and clearly see where you were losing time and what you had to change.”
He added that making changes without fully understanding how the car is programmed can actually make things worse.
“If you are changing your driving, but the programming is going the other way, you end up being a lot worse than what you were at first,” he said.
Leclerc believes the key is to remain open-minded because every car behaves differently under the new regulations.
“I started the season feeling very comfortable with the car and was very strong. Then I had Monaco and Montreal, where I struggled a lot, before things improved again after changing quite a few things,” he said.
The nine-time Grand Prix winner also dismissed the suggestion that an aggressive driving style is always the quickest way to extract performance from the latest Formula 1 machinery.
“I don’t think it’s black and white with these cars,” Leclerc said. “There are many different variables, and understanding the full picture when you are slightly off the pace is much more difficult than it seems.”
He added that while a more aggressive approach may suit some teams, it does not appear to work with Ferrari’s SF-26.
“I don’t particularly agree that being super aggressive with these cars works, at least not with our car. But it might do for another car.”
Formula 1 returns after the summer break with the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, which takes place from 21 to 23 August.
