News Summary
- Charles Leclerc finished eighth in São Paulo after struggling to generate tyre temperature and describing Ferrari’s first-stint performance as almost impossible to manage.
- The Monegasque says Ferrari must understand why its wet-weather qualifying improvements did not translate into competitive race pace.
- Leclerc warned that low temperatures could make Las Vegas another difficult weekend and declined to answer a question about racing in the Middle East.
Charles Leclerc warned that Ferrari could face another difficult Formula 1 weekend in Las Vegas after describing the team’s performance at the São Paulo Grand Prix as a disaster, with severe tyre-temperature problems leaving him struggling for grip throughout the opening stint.
The Monegasque finished eighth at Interlagos after starting 14th following a power-unit penalty. Although he recovered positions during the race, his progress was limited by poor traction, inconsistent tyre performance and a lack of straight-line speed.
Speaking to reporters after the race, including GRANDE PRÊMIO, Leclerc acknowledged that Ferrari had failed to reproduce the competitive pace demonstrated during Saturday’s wet qualifying session.
Leclerc describes Ferrari as undriveable in São Paulo
Ferrari entered Sunday’s race hoping to recover from the grid penalties imposed on both drivers. However, Leclerc struggled immediately, while teammate Lewis Hamilton climbed from 20th to ninth on the opening lap.
“The execution was okay but the pace was, on the first stint, horrendous for me,” Leclerc said.
“Particularly at the start, we just have so many struggles in putting those tyres into temperature.”
“It’s unbelievable, and it’s just undriveable. Lewis definitely found a way because he had an incredible start, but for me it was just like driving on ice.”
The problems prevented Leclerc from challenging cars that had started ahead of him, despite Ferrari showing stronger performance as the track conditions evolved.
“Later on I had the pace, but I had very little free air and we also lost a lot of time on the straights, so the first stint was very poor.”
Leclerc eventually found better performance on soft tyres, although traffic continued to limit his progress. His decision to switch to intermediates when the rain intensified helped him move into seventh on the road.
“The second stint on the soft was actually pretty good, but not much free air. At the end, by being patient and making the right choice late on, we ended up P7 behind the top three teams. It is the way it is.”
However, a five-second penalty for contact with Liam Lawson subsequently dropped him to eighth in the final classification.
Ferrari fails to turn qualifying improvements into race pace
Leclerc explained that Ferrari had made progress in understanding how to set up the car for wet conditions during qualifying, but those improvements were insufficient for the longer stints required on Sunday.
Asked whether the lack of performance in the rain had surprised him, the Monegasque acknowledged that Ferrari had entered the race uncertain about its competitiveness.
“Honestly, it was 50-50,” Leclerc told reporters, including GRANDE PRÊMIO. “We’ve never been that strong in these conditions.”
The team had experimented with its setup during Saturday’s session, when Leclerc qualified fourth before his ten-place penalty. Although the adjustments improved the car’s performance over a single lap, Ferrari remained unable to maintain consistent grip during the race.
“There is so much to be learned. I felt like we were going into the rain and it was like a coin flip – maybe we end up on the right side of things or we end up… it’s just a complete disaster to drive. We’ve got a lot of work to do on that side.”
Leclerc’s assessment was consistent with Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s explanation that both drivers struggled to bring their tyres into the correct temperature window.
The problem affected Hamilton as well, despite his strong opening lap. Both Ferrari drivers ultimately finished behind the leading Mercedes, Red Bull and McLaren contenders.
Their difficulties contributed to a disappointing result on the afternoon when Mercedes secured the 2026 constructors’ championship.
Leclerc fears low temperatures could hurt Ferrari in Las Vegas
Leclerc believes Ferrari must investigate the tyre problems before the next race, particularly because Las Vegas is expected to present another challenge in relatively low temperatures.
Speaking to GRANDE PRÊMIO after the São Paulo Grand Prix, he acknowledged that the team cannot assume its performance will improve automatically at the next circuit.
“We need to look forward. First, we need to analyse this performance, which was poor, and then we’ll see about Las Vegas, which I think could be difficult for us because of the low temperatures,” Leclerc said.
The concern reflects Ferrari’s difficulties in generating sufficient tyre temperature during the opening stint at Interlagos. Las Vegas presents a different circuit configuration, but its cool evening conditions could again make tyre preparation an important factor.
Leclerc also explained why he had not challenged Hamilton when his teammate approached during the opening stages.
“He was much faster. This time, there was no point trying to fight,” he said.
The admission illustrated the difference in performance between the two Ferrari drivers at the start, although neither ultimately had the pace to challenge the leading teams.
Leclerc declines to answer question about Middle East races
The post-race interview also included a question from GRANDE PRÊMIO about the final two rounds of the championship in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.
Asked whether he felt comfortable racing in the Middle East amid the regional security situation, Leclerc declined to discuss the subject.
“I’d rather not answer that question,” he replied.
His response came as Formula 1 continued preparations for its final events, with the championship having previously briefed teams about emergency procedures should conditions in the region deteriorate.
The logistical preparations for Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain under discussion, although no cancellation or relocation of either race has been officially announced.
Ferrari now has a break before Las Vegas on November 19–21 to analyse the problems identified at Interlagos and determine whether setup changes can improve its performance in colder conditions.
GRANDE PRÊMIO is following the 2026 Formula 1 championship with breaking news and updates in its Formula 1 section.
FAQ
Why was Ferrari so slow at the São Paulo Grand Prix?
Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton struggled to bring their tyres into the correct operating temperature window. Leclerc reported extremely poor grip during his opening stint, while Hamilton also suffered from rear-tyre overheating as the circuit dried.
Where did Charles Leclerc finish in Brazil?
Leclerc finished eighth in the 2026 São Paulo Grand Prix after starting 14th. He crossed the line seventh but received a five-second penalty for contact with Liam Lawson.
Why is Leclerc worried about the Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Leclerc believes Las Vegas could be difficult because its low temperatures may create tyre warm-up problems similar to those Ferrari experienced at Interlagos. The team intends to analyse its São Paulo performance before the next race.
Alternative headlines
- Leclerc says Ferrari has ‘a lot to learn’ after disastrous São Paulo GP
- Leclerc warns Ferrari about Las Vegas after struggling for grip in Brazil
- Leclerc calls Ferrari undriveable and explains why Hamilton was faster in São Paulo
Tags: Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, São Paulo GP, Las Vegas GP
Slug: leclerc-ferrari-undriveable-sao-paulo-las-vegas-warning
Meta description: Charles Leclerc calls Ferrari’s São Paulo performance a disaster, explains tyre problems and warns that Las Vegas could be another difficult race.
