Why Charles Leclerc is "not too stressed" about deficit to Ferrari F1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton

Charles Leclerc says he is “not too stressed” about his recent performance deficit to Ferrari Formula 1 team-mate Lewis Hamilton. 

Hamilton has logged two second places and a win in the last three races, while Leclerc was fourth in Canada and retired in both Monaco and Barcelona.

The Monegasque driver currently has 75 points compared to the 115 of Hamilton.

Leclerc has made it clear that brake issues hampered him in Montreal and Monaco, but that was addressed with a change of supplier for Barcelona.

“I think the last few races haven't been nice,” he said. “When I look at it in an objective way Monaco and Spain have been a lot worse than what it should have been on paper. 

“Obviously, we've had two technical issues, two races in a row, and that cost us a lot of points. It's also true that I haven't been as comfortable in the car as I was earlier this season. 

“But in Barcelona I found that feeling again, so that is that is a positive. In Monaco and Canada, it has been more difficult for other issues. I'm not too stressed about the pace in itself, I just want to put a weekend together now with the team, and be back to where we should be, because it's been too long – there's been one thing or another that impeded us doing what we had to do on a Sunday.”

Leclerc downplayed the suggestion that Hamilton’s input into the SF-26 has taken the car in a direction that doesn’t suit his style.

“I honestly don't think that this is the case,” he said. “It's not that I don't feel comfortable with this year's car, it's just that in Montreal particularly, and in Monaco, we've had some issues that have been very, very tricky, and there I've lost a bit of confidence with the car, but not with the package in itself. 

“Last year I've had a very strong season, and we were working as a team on this project. It's not like we go one way or the other, and as I've said in the past, these cars are very, very different, but nowadays we've got a lot of freedom with the setup to make sure that a car fits your driving.” 

He added: “It's not that I feel limited in any kind of ways with that, and I don't think that this is going to be an issue that is going to keep going. I hope not, at least. But I felt a lot better in Barcelona with things that we have changed, and I don't think it's part of any of this, and I don't feel any less confident with this car than last year's car. 

“It's just that there's been these two or three races where there's been the lack of confidence in Canada and Monaco. On top of that, we've got technical issues on the Sunday in Monaco and in Spain, and that means that these have been lots of points lost in three weekends, and it's not a nice feeling, but I'm looking forward to this weekend and try to put all of this behind us.”

Leclerc stressed that Hamilton’s Barcelona win had inspired him to challenges for victories.

“Of course, seeing Lewis's win makes me want to taste victory again, but the last few years we didn't have the car to do that. Now it feels like we are on track on getting back into a rhythm where we can achieve those race wins, and it's my job to be fighting at the front, just like Lewis did in Barcelona.”

Asked if he could join Hamilton as a potential title contender he said: “The last few weekends have been quite busy for me, trying to put everything together, trying to, and we fixed quite a lot of things in those last weekends. 

“Now I'm just looking back to get back into my rhythm, and if we do so, then I hope many race wins can come, and we'll think of the championship at the end of the season, but it's not really something that is in my mind.”