Mercedes and Ferrari are currently calling the shots in Formula 1. While the Silberpfeile consistently led in the opening races, the Scuderia followed in third and fourth places. Charles Leclerc hopes that he can make things difficult for Mercedes again during the upcoming Japanese GP, although he also warns that the German rivals still have a significant advantage over the rest of the field; only with a broad upgrade program can Ferrari make the difference.
Read more George Russell wary of McLaren in Japan: ‘Work to do’
The first two Grands Prix in Australia and Shanghai resulted in two one-twos for Mercedes, while Ferrari finished on P3 and P4 twice. Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were often able to duel with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli in the opening laps, but were pushed back as the races progressed. Leclerc also hopes to be able to ‘thwart’ his rivals again during the upcoming Japanese GP, although he foresees little chance of actually making a bid for victory.
“I don’t think it will be as exciting as people might think,” Leclerc said Thursday during the FIA press conference in Suzuka. “In the first few races, we obviously see a lot of battles between the cars, which is actually quite fun, but as soon as you don’t perform optimally, you lose a lot of lap time. So our only chance to stay with them (Mercedes, ed.) is to thwart them in the first few laps. As soon as they get clean air, they show their true speed. I think they will still be four to five tenths per lap faster here in Suzuka as well. That is still a significant advantage,” Leclerc admitted.
“But that doesn’t discourage me; we also have a few things in the pipeline. We have to focus on ourselves and especially not pay too much attention to others.”
Read more Audi surprised by Wheatley’s sudden departure
Development race
Reportedly, Ferrari will use the upcoming spring break to test the necessary upgrades. For example, the team would want to test new aerodynamic applications in Monza. “This championship is all about development and the upgrades that each team implements,” Leclerc confirmed. “For now, we are in a reasonably good position, but of course we are not just here for podium finishes. We want to win races, which seems very difficult at the moment because Mercedes is performing at a very high level. But work is being done extremely hard in the factory and I know that upgrades are coming soon. The question is whether that will make the difference; the rest of the field is obviously not standing still either.”
Lewis Hamilton also predicts that Ferrari will still have to slot in behind Mercedes in Japan. “The car feels okay overall, it’s just not fast enough at the moment and I think it’s mainly to do with the balance,” he reacted after the second free practice. “We just have to work hard tonight to figure out how we can set the car up better. We are still losing a lot of time on the straights. Energy management plays a role in that and I’m sure we can still improve that.”
Read more Results FP3 GP Japan 2026
Read everything about the Japan GP here
