{"id":4007,"date":"2026-10-17T11:40:00","date_gmt":"2026-10-17T14:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/?p=4007"},"modified":"2026-10-17T09:50:32","modified_gmt":"2026-10-17T12:50:32","slug":"leclerc-leads-ferrari-qualifying-so-why-is-hamilton-ahead-in-f1-points","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/leclerc-leads-ferrari-qualifying-so-why-is-hamilton-ahead-in-f1-points\/","title":{"rendered":"Leclerc leads Ferrari qualifying. So why is Hamilton ahead in F1 points?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">News Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Hamilton has 229 points against Leclerc&#8217;s 215<\/strong>, despite the Monegasque leading their qualifying comparison 9\u20138.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The Ferrari drivers are also separated by one result in races, with Hamilton ahead 9\u20138, while Leclerc has suffered more retirements.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Singapore and Zandvoort demonstrate how strategy, traffic and tyre differences can distort direct comparisons of driver performance.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc have experienced remarkably similar levels of competitiveness during the 2026 Formula 1 season, yet <strong>the seven-time world champion holds a 14-point advantage over his Ferrari team-mate<\/strong> with six rounds remaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton has accumulated 229 points after 17 grands prix, compared with Leclerc&#8217;s 215. The British driver occupies third place in the Drivers&#8217; Championship, while the Monegasque is fifth, with Max Verstappen separating them in fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the championship standings do not reflect a clear advantage for either driver in outright performance. Leclerc leads their qualifying head-to-head comparison 9\u20138, while Hamilton holds an identical 9\u20138 advantage in race results. The margins indicate that neither driver has consistently dominated the other, despite their different championship totals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">An examination by <strong>GRANDE PR\u00caMIO<\/strong> of Ferrari&#8217;s results, reliability record and strategic decisions reveals that the difference between Hamilton and Leclerc has been shaped by more than driving performance. Mechanical retirements, tyre selection, pit-stop timing and the difficulty of racing in traffic have repeatedly influenced the results of the two SF-26 drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hamilton vs Leclerc: 2026 F1 statistics after Singapore<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Statistic<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">Lewis Hamilton<\/th><th class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">Charles Leclerc<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Championship position<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">3rd<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">5th<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Championship points<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>229<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">215<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Points per weekend<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>13.47<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">12.65<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Qualifying head-to-head<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">8<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>9<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Race head-to-head<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>9<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">8<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Grand prix retirements<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>1<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">3<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Points difference<\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\"><strong>+14<\/strong><\/td><td class=\"has-text-align-right\" data-align=\"right\">\u221214<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Statistics cover the 17 completed Formula 1 rounds through the Singapore Grand Prix on October 11, 2026. The head-to-head figures represent recorded results, not a measurement of average lap-time advantage.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton has averaged 13.47 points per weekend, compared with 12.65 for Leclerc. The difference is approximately <strong>0.82 points per round<\/strong>, a relatively small margin considering the number of races already contested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The head-to-head figures reinforce that impression. Leclerc has been ahead in 52.9% of qualifying comparisons, while Hamilton has finished ahead in 52.9% of race comparisons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither figure establishes a meaningful average speed advantage without examining the actual time differences, but together they demonstrate that Ferrari&#8217;s internal competition has been considerably closer than the championship positions might suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Leclerc leads qualifying \u2014 but by how much?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc&#8217;s 9\u20138 qualifying advantage is consistent with his reputation for extracting strong single-lap performance from Ferrari machinery. However, the narrow margin indicates that Hamilton has frequently been capable of matching or beating the Monegasque over one lap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Singapore Grand Prix provided a particularly useful example. Leclerc qualified second with a time of 1:31.427, just 0.054 seconds behind Max Verstappen&#8217;s pole position. Hamilton secured third with 1:31.496, only <strong>0.069 seconds behind his team-mate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Driver<\/th><th>Singapore Q3 time<\/th><th>Gap to pole<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>M. VERSTAPPEN<\/td><td>1:31.373<\/td><td>\u2014<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>C. LECLERC<\/td><td>1:31.427<\/td><td>+0.054s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>L. HAMILTON<\/td><td>1:31.496<\/td><td>+0.123s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>K. ANTONELLI<\/td><td>1:31.562<\/td><td>+0.189s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Ferrari drivers were separated by approximately 0.075% of Leclerc&#8217;s qualifying lap time. That is a very small difference, particularly at a circuit where precision, tyre preparation and confidence through slow corners can significantly influence lap performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton had shown competitive speed earlier in the weekend but struggled with oversteer during the final phase of qualifying. He subsequently acknowledged that the SF-26&#8217;s rear-end instability had prevented him from converting his earlier pace into a stronger result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The British driver had also experienced difficulties during sprint qualifying, when a different run plan and a sudden loss of rear grip compromised his final attempt. Those circumstances demonstrate why <strong>a qualifying result cannot always be interpreted as a straightforward measurement of a driver&#8217;s underlying speed<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across the season, Leclerc&#8217;s 9\u20138 advantage establishes that he has more frequently finished ahead, but it does not prove that he has been consistently faster by a significant margin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-1024x576.png\" alt=\"F1 2026, SINGAPURA, CLASSIFICA\u00c7\u00c3O SPRINT, FERRARI, CHARLES LECLERC, CARRO\" class=\"wp-image-1020317569\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-1536x864.png 1536w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-1200x675.png 1200w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11-150x84.png 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/f1-2026-singapura-classificacao-sprint-ferrari-charles-leclerc-11.png 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Charles Leclerc (Photo: Ferrari)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Race results tell a different story<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton&#8217;s 9\u20138 advantage in race results reverses the qualifying comparison, suggesting that the British driver has been marginally more successful at converting race weekends into stronger finishing positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the reliability record is an important factor. <strong>Leclerc has recorded three grand prix retirements, compared with one for Hamilton<\/strong>, reducing his opportunities to accumulate points and finish ahead of his team-mate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The distinction is especially relevant because a retirement can have a substantial impact on the championship standings without establishing that the retiring driver was slower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A mechanical failure, collision or other incident may remove a driver from contention even when the car has been competitive. Conversely, a driver who finishes a race may benefit from the retirement of rivals without necessarily demonstrating superior outright pace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 14-point difference between Hamilton and Leclerc is therefore the result of actual championship scoring, but it cannot be translated directly into a difference in driving performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A complete reconstruction of Ferrari&#8217;s internal battle would need to identify the causes of each retirement, the positions occupied when the incidents occurred and the realistic range of results available at those moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Singapore: how tyre strategy changed Ferrari&#8217;s internal battle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Singapore offers one of the clearest examples of how strategic circumstances can influence the comparison between Hamilton and Leclerc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari started the race with different tyre compounds. Leclerc selected the soft tyre, while Hamilton began on mediums, reflecting uncertainty over tyre performance after limited representative running during the weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference proved significant. Ferrari subsequently discovered that the soft compound performed better than anticipated, allowing Leclerc to maintain a competitive pace during the opening stint while Hamilton struggled to match the leading cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton stopped on lap 18 and switched to soft tyres, committing himself to a long second stint. The strategy initially allowed him to remain in contention near the front, but it became increasingly difficult as tyre wear accumulated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Virtual Safety Car triggered by Lance Stroll&#8217;s retirement created an opportunity for Ferrari to change tyres again. Team principal Fr\u00e9d\u00e9ric Vasseur later confirmed that <strong>both drivers had been instructed to pit, but Hamilton missed the pit entry<\/strong>, leaving him on an increasingly compromised strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc completed his stop and subsequently finished second, while Hamilton lost positions to Kimi Antonelli, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri before finishing sixth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/vasseur-reveals-hamilton-missed-ferrari-pit-call-that-cost-singapore-gp-podium\/\">explanation of Hamilton&#8217;s missed Ferrari pit call in Singapore<\/a> established that the team had intended to bring both drivers into the pits. Hamilton also accepted responsibility for the decision after the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Hamilton&#8217;s late Singapore pace was misleading<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton&#8217;s lap times deteriorated substantially during the closing stages at Marina Bay, creating a large difference between the two Ferrari drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, <strong>the final-stint comparison cannot be treated as a representative measure of their natural race pace<\/strong>. Hamilton was attempting to complete an exceptionally long stint on soft tyres, while Leclerc had fresher rubber following his stop under the Virtual Safety Car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The difference in tyre age altered the conditions under which the drivers were competing. Hamilton&#8217;s performance was increasingly affected by degradation, while Leclerc could exploit a more favourable tyre condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The race also illustrated how an individual strategic decision can influence a team&#8217;s result. Vasseur believed Ferrari had the potential to finish second and third, but Hamilton&#8217;s failure to stop removed the opportunity to protect both podium positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even that assessment remains a counterfactual scenario. Hamilton was running in a position that offered a realistic podium opportunity, but the precise finishing order cannot be established with certainty once an alternative strategy is assumed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The result therefore provides evidence of a costly execution error, rather than proof that Leclerc was intrinsically several seconds per lap faster.<\/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\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1020317802\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/Hamilton-Qualy-Singapur-ES.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Lewis Hamilton (Photo: AFP)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Zandvoort: Leclerc&#8217;s strategy affected Hamilton&#8217;s race<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Dutch Grand Prix produced a different type of complication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Zandvoort, Ferrari&#8217;s two drivers found themselves on different tyre strategies while attempting to challenge George Russell for a podium position. Hamilton had fresher hard tyres during the second stint, while Leclerc remained ahead on older rubber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The situation created frustration for Hamilton, who believed the delay behind his team-mate was compromising his opportunity to attack the Mercedes driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A previous <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/did-charles-leclerc-stubbornness-cost-lewis-hamilton-a-dutch-gp-podium-what-lap-times-reveal\/\">GRANDE PR\u00caMIO lap-time investigation of Ferrari&#8217;s Zandvoort strategy<\/a> found that Hamilton lost more than two seconds relative to Russell while running behind Leclerc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That figure identifies a measurable loss during the relevant phase of the race, but it does not establish that Hamilton would have secured the podium had Ferrari managed the situation differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc also questioned the timing of his own second pit stop, arguing that extending the stint might have provided a stronger tyre advantage later in the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/charles-leclerc-questions-ferrari-pit-timing-at-zandvoort-downplays-hamilton-spat\/\">Monegasque&#8217;s criticism of Ferrari&#8217;s Zandvoort pit timing<\/a> showed that both drivers had concerns about how the team managed the race.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The episode illustrates why comparing their finishing positions without accounting for tyre strategy and traffic would produce an incomplete assessment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Monza: when Ferrari&#8217;s drivers became each other&#8217;s problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Italian Grand Prix introduced another factor into Ferrari&#8217;s internal comparison: direct contact between its drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hamilton and Leclerc collided during the opening lap at Monza, with the British driver forced onto the gravel and losing positions. Leclerc subsequently retired following a separate accident, while Hamilton recovered to finish sixth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The incident generated disagreement over how Ferrari should manage wheel-to-wheel racing between its drivers. Hamilton questioned the lack of clear internal rules, contrasting the situation with the procedures he had experienced at Mercedes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/hamilton-criticizes-ferrari-driver-management-after-leclerc-clash-there-are-no-rules-here\/\">dispute over Ferrari&#8217;s driver-management approach at Monza<\/a> became part of a broader debate about communication and decision-making within the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For statistical purposes, Monza demonstrates another limitation of simple head-to-head comparisons. A driver may finish ahead because the other retires, while the finishing driver&#8217;s own result may also have been compromised by their interaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Such incidents should be classified separately from weekends in which both drivers completed clean races under comparable conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How much of Ferrari&#8217;s points difference comes from reliability?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The reliability comparison favours Hamilton, who has completed more grands prix than Leclerc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the precise championship cost of Leclerc&#8217;s additional retirements cannot be determined simply by assigning points based on his position before each incident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A driver running third when a mechanical problem occurs has a potential 15-point result, but that does not mean 15 points were guaranteed. Tyre degradation, strategy, rival performance and later incidents could all have changed the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same caution applies to Hamilton&#8217;s missed podium opportunity in Singapore and the traffic-related losses at Zandvoort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Factor<\/th><th>Evidence from 2026<\/th><th>What can be concluded<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Qualifying<\/td><td>Leclerc leads 9\u20138<\/td><td>Small advantage in head-to-head results<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Race finishes<\/td><td>Hamilton leads 9\u20138<\/td><td>Small advantage in classified race comparisons<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Reliability<\/td><td>Leclerc has three retirements; Hamilton one<\/td><td>Leclerc has lost more finishing opportunities<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Singapore strategy<\/td><td>Hamilton missed Ferrari&#8217;s VSC pit call<\/td><td>Confirmed execution error affected his result<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Zandvoort traffic<\/td><td>Hamilton lost time behind Leclerc<\/td><td>Measurable delay, but podium not guaranteed<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Monza incident<\/td><td>Ferrari drivers made contact<\/td><td>Race outcomes affected by an internal incident<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The table separates confirmed results and events from interpretations that would require additional lap-time or strategic modelling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Reliability has contributed to Hamilton&#8217;s points advantage, but the available evidence does not establish how many of the 14 points should be attributed to mechanical problems rather than driver performance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can Hamilton and Leclerc be compared by average race pace?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most useful next step is to measure the drivers&#8217; performance during representative race stints, rather than relying exclusively on finishing positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For a meaningful comparison, the data must be restricted to laps completed on equivalent tyre compounds, with similar tyre age and comparable fuel loads. Pit-entry and exit laps, Safety Car periods, significant traffic and laps affected by mechanical problems should be identified separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A median lap-time comparison can reduce the influence of isolated slow laps, while a tyre-degradation analysis can help establish whether one driver maintains performance more effectively over a stint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Metric<\/th><th>What it measures<\/th><th>Main limitation<\/th><\/tr><tr><td>Qualifying lap gap (%)<\/td><td>Relative single-lap speed<\/td><td>Different qualifying conditions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Clean-air median race lap<\/td><td>Representative stint pace<\/td><td>Fuel and tyre-age differences<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Tyre degradation<\/td><td>Pace loss over a stint<\/td><td>Track evolution and tyre management<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Positions gained or lost<\/td><td>Race execution<\/td><td>Grid position and strategy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Points per race start<\/td><td>Scoring efficiency<\/td><td>Reliability and race incidents<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Head-to-head results<\/td><td>Frequency of beating team-mate<\/td><td>Does not quantify speed advantage<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The confirmed results establish a close competition between Hamilton and Leclerc, but <strong>a reliable season-long average race-pace advantage cannot be calculated from championship points or head-to-head results alone<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Singapore is a particularly strong example of why that distinction matters. Including Hamilton&#8217;s heavily degraded final stint without accounting for tyre condition would distort the comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The same applies to Zandvoort, where traffic and strategic differences affected the lap times available to both drivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ferrari&#8217;s competitive position adds another complication<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari has demonstrated race-winning potential at several points during 2026, but the SF-26 has not consistently matched Mercedes across the championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The team has also faced renewed competition from Red Bull, which has improved significantly during the second half of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Singapore, Ferrari qualified second and third, showing that the SF-26 could challenge for pole position. Leclerc subsequently finished second, while Hamilton&#8217;s compromised strategy prevented the team from converting both strong starting positions into podium finishes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That weekend illustrates the difference between the performance available from the car and the points ultimately scored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ferrari&#8217;s internal management has also attracted attention, with the <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/ferraris-trust-problem-deepens-as-hamilton-and-leclerc-clash-over-f1-strategy\/\">relationship between Hamilton, Leclerc and the team&#8217;s strategic decisions<\/a> becoming a recurring subject during the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">However, the team&#8217;s difficulties should not be treated as evidence that one driver has consistently received inferior machinery or deliberate strategic disadvantages. The documented incidents require individual examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What the numbers reveal about Hamilton and Leclerc<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After 17 rounds, Ferrari&#8217;s two drivers are separated by just 14 points and one result in each head-to-head comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leclerc has more frequently qualified ahead, while Hamilton has more frequently finished ahead in races. Their championship scoring rates differ by less than one point per weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those figures support the assessment that <strong>Ferrari&#8217;s internal battle has been closely contested rather than dominated by either driver<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The larger differences have emerged during particular race weekends, when reliability, tyre selection, traffic and strategic execution have changed the available results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Singapore is the clearest recent example. Hamilton&#8217;s missed pit call was a confirmed error that compromised his race, but the resulting gap to Leclerc cannot be used as a direct measure of their relative driving speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Zandvoort, the opposite complication appeared, with Hamilton losing time behind his team-mate while Ferrari managed different tyre strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Who has been Ferrari&#8217;s stronger driver in 2026?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Hamilton has delivered the better championship return, while Leclerc holds the narrow advantage in qualifying.<\/strong> The race head-to-head favours Hamilton by the same 9\u20138 margin, but the difference in retirements means that comparison is not entirely independent of reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Neither driver has established a decisive statistical advantage across every measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most defensible finding is that Ferrari has two closely matched drivers whose results have been shaped by different combinations of performance, reliability and race execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The final six rounds will provide further opportunities to examine that relationship, beginning with the <a href=\"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/f1\/f1-united-states-gp-2026-austin-schedule-start-times-and-how-to-watch\/\">United States Grand Prix at Austin on October 23\u201325<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Lewis Hamilton leads Charles Leclerc by 14 points after 17 Formula 1 rounds, but the Ferrari team-mates are separated by just one result in qualifying and race head-to-head comparisons. GRANDE PR\u00caMIO examines how reliability, tyre management and strategic decisions have shaped their 2026 campaigns.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1020312798,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"42wp_featured_image_caption":"Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc","42wp_featured_image_credits":"Ferrari","42wp_featured_video":"","42wp_ai_content_disclaimer":"","42wp_is_ai_content":false,"42wp_featured_image_hidden":false,"42wp_authors_list":[{"id":7,"location":""}],"footnotes":"","42wp_breaking_news":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[28,56,63,841],"42wp_author":[7],"class_list":["post-4007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-f1","tag-charles-leclerc","tag-ferrari","tag-lewis-hamilton","tag-sf-26","42wp_author-victor-martins"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4007","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=4007"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4007\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4008,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4007\/revisions\/4008"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1020312798"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4007"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4007"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4007"},{"taxonomy":"42wp_author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grandepremio.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/42wp_author?post=4007"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}