Charles Leclerc Fights Unpredictable Car on Spa-Francorchamps Track

Charles Leclerc Fights Unpredictable Car on Spa-Francorchamps Track

Charles Leclerc finished a challenging second at the 2026 Formula One season's Spa-Francorchamps event, but expressed frustration with the unpredictable power delivery of his car.

What happened?

The 2026 breed of Formula One cars, with their 53 per cent internal combustion engine horsepower and 47 per cent electric hybridisation power, can be odd machines. Not as odd as they were at the beginning of the year, before the 50-50 power split was modified and drivers found they were having to ease through some corners in order to maintain sufficient electrical power to get themselves down the next straight at top speed.

Leclerc, who led after a fortuitous mid-race intervention of the virtual safety car gave the Ferraris an effectively free pit stop, was discombobulated by the way his car's power was delivered at times. He said: "I'll continue with the one-race-at-a-time approach because, with these cars, it's very difficult to be confident that if one race weekend goes well, the other one will, because it relies on such small details."

Why it matters for Charles Leclerc

These, remember, are the best drivers on the planet, in supposedly the best cars. If they are canny, they will each have different ways of harvesting the electrical power so that the battery is a consistent and reliable source of power. But for Leclerc, the current state of the cars is a major concern.

What comes next?

Leclerc will continue to adapt to the changing circumstances of the 2026 Formula One season. With the next event on the horizon, he will be looking to fine-tune his car's performance and find a way to overcome the unpredictable power delivery.

The young Monegasque driver will be hoping to bounce back from his disappointing finish at Spa-Francorchamps and get back to the top step of the podium. But for now, he will have to content himself with a second-place finish and the knowledge that there is still much work to be done to get his car up to speed.

And with the 2026 Formula One season still in its early stages, Leclerc will have plenty of opportunities to make up for lost ground and push his car to the limit. But for now, he will have to be satisfied with a second-place finish and the knowledge that he has a long way to go before he can truly call himself a champion.

But Leclerc's frustration with the current state of the cars is not just about the performance of his own car. It's about the fact that the best drivers in the world are being held back by the limitations of the cars they are driving.

So, what's next for Leclerc and the rest of the Formula One grid? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure: the 2026 season is shaping up to be one of the most unpredictable and exciting in recent memory.

And with Leclerc's car still struggling to find its footing, it's clear that the young Monegasque driver has his work cut out for him if he wants to stay at the top of the leaderboard.

But for now, Leclerc will have to be content with a second-place finish and the knowledge that there is still much work to be done to get his car up to speed.

The event took place on July 19 at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit in Belgium.