{"id":1441,"date":"2026-08-31T17:15:52","date_gmt":"2026-08-31T20:15:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=1441"},"modified":"2026-08-31T17:15:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-31T20:15:54","slug":"leclerc-lowers-ferrari-expectations-for-italian-gp-it-doesnt-look-like-our-best-track","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/leclerc-lowers-ferrari-expectations-for-italian-gp-it-doesnt-look-like-our-best-track\/","title":{"rendered":"Leclerc lowers Ferrari expectations for Italian GP: &#8220;It doesn&#8217;t look like our best track&#8221;"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key takeaways<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Tempered expectations:<\/strong> <strong>Charles Leclerc cautioned that Monza does not favor Ferrari on paper<\/strong>, following a 5th-place finish at Zandvoort.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Low-drag updates:<\/strong> <strong>Ferrari is bringing specific floor and rear wing tweaks alongside engine revisions<\/strong> to boost straight-line speed.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Home support:<\/strong> <strong>Leclerc relies on the passion of the <em>tifosi<\/em><\/strong>, leaning on his past victories at Monza in 2019 and 2024 for inspiration.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Charles Leclerc<\/strong> has moved to temper expectations ahead of <strong>Ferrari\u2019s<\/strong> home race at the <strong>Italian Grand Prix<\/strong>, admitting that the high-speed <strong>Monza<\/strong> circuit may present significant challenges for the <strong>SF-26<\/strong> on paper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Coming off a fifth-place finish at the Dutch Grand Prix in Zandvoort, the Monegasque driver acknowledged that the temple of speed&#8217;s low-downforce, high-speed nature might not naturally complement the car&#8217;s current operational window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/br\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"F1 2026, PAISES BAIXOS, QUALY, FERRARI, CHARLES LECLERC\" class=\"wp-image-1020312557\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-1536x1025.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/f1-2026-paises-baixos-classificacao-ferrari-charles-leclerc-01.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Charles Leclerc expects a tough challenge at Monza but looks forward to racing in front of the tifosi (Photo: Ferrari)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response to a question from <strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> reporter Leonid Kliuev, Leclerc balanced his cautious technical outlook with enthusiasm for racing in front of Maranello&#8217;s home fans:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#8220;<strong>I am looking forward to Monza, although, on paper, it doesn&#8217;t look like our best track. But, for sure, because of the importance and how special Monza is, I am looking forward to getting there,<\/strong>&#8221; Leclerc stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To mitigate these track-specific challenges, Ferrari is preparing targeted adjustments to its rear wing and floor assembly to reduce aerodynamic drag, alongside a second ADUO engine revision aimed at delivering enhanced top-end power along Monza&#8217;s long straights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc can also draw confidence from his historical pedigree at the venue, having secured memorable victories for Scuderia Ferrari in 2019 and 2024, followed by a fourth-place finish last season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This realistic assessment arrives amid a flurry of storylines across the paddock, including <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/why-the-italian-gp-week-could-define-bearmans-formula-1-future\/\">Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Vasseur urging Ferrari to adopt an aggressive mindset<\/a> and <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/why-the-italian-gp-week-could-define-bearmans-formula-1-future\/\">Ferrari bringing low-drag updates and a 15 hp engine boost to Monza<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Formula 1 action resumes from <strong>September 4\u20136<\/strong> for the <strong>Italian Grand Prix at Monza<\/strong> (Round 13 of the 2026 season). <strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/\">GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/a><\/strong> will provide complete live coverage across every session. Follow all updates on our <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/\">news page<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Charles Leclerc Monza Career Highlights<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Year<\/th><th>Team<\/th><th>Grid \/ Finish Position<\/th><th>Notable Event \/ Result<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>2019<\/strong><\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>Pole \/ <strong>1st Place<\/strong><\/td><td>Maiden home victory for Ferrari<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2024<\/strong><\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>Qualified 4th \/ <strong>1st Place<\/strong><\/td><td>One-stop strategy victory over McLaren<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2025<\/strong><\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>Qualified 5th \/ <strong>4th Place<\/strong><\/td><td>Solid points finish<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>2026<\/strong><\/td><td>Ferrari<\/td><td>TBD \/ Target: Podium<\/td><td>Driving revised low-drag SF-26 package<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently asked questions (FAQ)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1. What did Charles Leclerc say about Ferrari&#8217;s chances at the 2026 Italian Grand Prix?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc stated that, on paper, Monza does not look like Ferrari&#8217;s best track, but he remains excited to race in front of the team&#8217;s home crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. Has Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix before?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes, Charles Leclerc won the Italian Grand Prix at Monza twice for Ferrari, taking victories in <strong>2019<\/strong> and <strong>2024<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. When is the 2026 Italian Grand Prix at Monza?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Italian Grand Prix takes place from <strong>September 4\u20136, 2026<\/strong>, serving as Round 13 of the World Championship.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Charles Leclerc admits Monza&#8217;s high-speed characteristics may not suit the SF-26, but relies on home crowd support and targeted technical tweaks for a strong showing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020312952,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Leclerc expects a tough challenge at Monza but looks forward to racing in front of the tifosi","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Gabriel L\u00f3pez\/Grande Pr\u00eamio","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[28,56],"42wp_author":[59],"class_list":["post-1441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-charles-leclerc","tag-ferrari","42wp_author-fabricio-carvalho"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1441"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1442,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1441\/revisions\/1442"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020312952"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1441"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=1441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}