News summary

Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari can return to the front at the Italian GP despite acknowledging that the power unit remains a potential weakness against its main rivals.

The Monegasque, who won at Monza in 2019 and 2024, arrives at Ferrari’s home race with an upgraded power unit developed under the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities (ADUO) system. Ferrari has been granted two upgrade opportunities after being classified among the manufacturers furthest behind the benchmark, and the Italian team is introducing its second update at Monza.

Ferrari expects the latest power-unit specification to deliver around 15 hp, while the team is also introducing aerodynamic changes for the low-downforce demands of Monza, including updates to the rear of the SF-26.

With Ferrari also looking to close the gap in the Constructors’ Championship, Leclerc was asked about the possibility of still fighting for the title. The Monegasque made clear that his priority remains helping Ferrari, rather than focusing on the points table.

“I drive for Ferrari and I want Ferrari to be champions. Of course, I will keep believing in it as long as the mathematics say that it is still possible,” Leclerc said.

“It’s not something I think about at the moment anyway, because I focus on one race at a time and try to extract the maximum from the car. Then, at the end of the year, we do the calculations.”

Leclerc also addressed Ferrari’s difficult execution at the Dutch GP, where strategic decisions contributed to a disappointing weekend for the team. Rather than dwelling on the events at Zandvoort, he stressed the importance of finding the correct operating window for both cars.

“We come from a race where the execution was not perfect, although throughout the year we haven’t been bad in that aspect. It is true that with these cars, it is much more difficult to have a perfect weekend in terms of execution,” he explained.

“I’m not only talking about strategy, but mainly about the concept of these new cars with this engine: as soon as we move a little bit outside the ideal window, we can lose a lot of time.”

That sensitivity could be particularly important at Monza, where the low-downforce configuration and long straights place greater emphasis on power-unit performance.

“Compared to the others, I think the weak point is more the engine, and certainly ADUO-2 represents a step in the right direction,” Leclerc said.

“I can’t wait to test it tomorrow on a track that, on paper, can be more difficult for us, but if we do things the right way, there is potential for us to do very well on Sunday,” he concluded.

Ferrari therefore enters its home Grand Prix with a combination of new hardware and an opportunity to make up ground on Mercedes. The latest power-unit upgrade is not expected to transform the competitive order by itself, but it represents another step in Ferrari’s effort to close the gap to the championship-leading manufacturers.

The 2026 Formula 1 season continues this weekend at Monza, with the Italian GP taking place from September 4-6. GRANDE PRÊMIO will cover all the action from the 13th round of the championship.

Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari can fight for a strong result at Monza (Photo: Ferrari)

FAQ

What is Ferrari’s ADUO-2 upgrade?
It is Ferrari’s second power-unit development opportunity granted under F1’s ADUO system, which allows additional engine development for manufacturers judged to be behind the benchmark.

How much power is Ferrari expecting from the Monza upgrade?
The latest upgrade is understood to deliver around 15 hp. Ferrari is also bringing aerodynamic updates for the low-downforce demands of Monza.

Does Leclerc still believe Ferrari can win the Constructors’ Championship?
Yes. Leclerc said he will continue believing in the title as long as the mathematics leave it possible, although he prefers to focus on maximizing Ferrari’s performance one race at a time.