For many people, the modern Ferrari is all but synonymous with its golden child, Charles Leclerc. He has been the backbone and the foundation of the team for seasons now, constantly performing well enough to make people wonder what he could achieve with a championship-contending car. With how high he had climbed in the court of public opinion, the fall from grace was bound to be painful, especially since few expected to see it happen during the long-awaited 2026 season.
Leclerc began his Formula One career in 2018 after being signed by Sauber. He spent one season with the team, quickly impressing enough to be promoted to the team with which he would end up tying his future career: Italy’s pride and joy, Ferrari. While in red, he consistently performed above expectations, often putting the various scarlet cars in positions no one would expect to find them in. It was for a reason that fans often criticised his decision to stay with the team through thick and thin, loudly claiming that he would have already been a World Champion had he chosen to drive for someone else.
Above all else, however, Leclerc was widely respected. Even those who did not root for him had to admit that he was a talented driver who consistently beat his teammates to remain the person on whom Ferrari relied most. Even just a season ago, he steadily beat Lewis Hamilton, finishing 86 points ahead. He was the man predestined to bring glory back to Italy and restore Ferrari as Formula One’s crown jewel until his performance took a drastic turn.
Leclerc started the season strong, filling the Tifosi with hope for things to come in the following months. Two podiums in the first three races were a result that couldn’t be disputed. Unfortunately, soon after, things took a turn for the worse. As his teammate celebrated podiums and even race wins, Leclerc noted two DNFs in a row, one of which happened on his home circuit. Although the one in Barcelona was a result of a hydraulic issue, the heartbreak of Monaco came after a crash involving no other cars or obstacles.
Leclerc seemed to regain some of the edge that had made him so well liked as he stood on the podium in Belgium and won in Great Britain. Just as the Tifosi celebrated the return to form of the driver loved by all of Italy, he crashed again. This time, it was at the famous “Temple of Speed”, the most important circuit of the season for all Ferrari fans. Once again, the crash was not a result of a mechanical failure or contact with another contender.
The young driver’s issues coincided with his teammate getting more comfortable in the car. Despite Hamilton’s 2025 struggles, he has seen a return to form just a season later. Consistently performing as well as he could in the car he was given, he slowly but surely closed the gap to Leclerc and finally overtook him in the standings. After the Monza Grand Prix, Hamilton is third in the standings with 191 points to his name. The Monegasque is currently fifth, 36 points behind.
When looking at Leclerc’s recent performances, it is easy to say that he has lost his edge and should thus be omitted from conversations about Formula One’s best current drivers. He is having a season to forget; that much can be said without any doubt, and yet he is still fifth in the World Championship standings, not far behind his teammate.
The Monegasque has still managed to win a Grand Prix and stand on the podium on multiple occasions. If the dip in quality persists, then a larger conversation will need to be held about his future both in the team and in the sport. For now the rough patch is not as alarming as some fans are making it out to be.
Like any sport, Formula One can easily create a vicious cycle in which bad performances build up the pressure that the athletes are facing. This, in turn, leads to them performing even worse than they previously had. This is what Leclerc is facing in the 2026 season. Each failure only spurs the hate and harassment, and as they get to his head, the mistakes multiply and become more frequent. At the same time, mitigating circumstances don’t matter if the results remain subpar. If Leclerc wants to be remembered as a top driver, he needs to return to the level he has shown in previous seasons, and he needs to do it fast.
There are still quite a few races left in the season, and thus plenty of opportunities for Leclerc to dig himself out of the metaphorical pit he had fallen into. The next few Grand Prix might end up being crucial for his remaining career, and it is up to him to make sure that his legacy is not tarnished.
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