Leclerc explains why he chose not to copy Hamilton's driving style during Ferrari struggles

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc has explained his decision not to copy teammate Lewis Hamilton's driving style despite facing difficulties extracting performance from the SF-26 under Formula 1's 2026 regulations. Although Hamilton displayed impressive form, Leclerc highlighted that attempting to replicate another driver's unique natural driving style is extremely complex, choosing instead to focus on adapting the car to fit his own approach.

Leclerc experienced his most challenging period during the Monaco, Canadian, and Catalan rounds, securing just 16 points compared to Hamilton's 64. The 28-year-old struggled with a lack of natural feeling in the car, compounded by a crash during his home race in Monaco attributed to brake supplier Brembo, as well as a Q3 crash in Barcelona.

The breakthrough arrived at the British Grand Prix in Silverstone, where Leclerc adjusted several setup parameters on Friday night alongside a switch to Carbone Industrie brake discs. The Monegasque secured a front-row grid position ahead of Hamilton before taking the lead and claiming his first race victory since 2024.

Across the six rounds following his Silverstone win, Leclerc accumulated 88 points—the third-highest tally in that span behind Kimi Antonelli and Lando Norris—finishing in the top five in every race except for an early exit at Monza. Meanwhile, Hamilton managed 66 points over the same stretch after being sidelined by brake issues at Madring.