F1 Analyst 'Worried' for Ferrari's 2026 Prospects as Leclerc 'Destroys' Hamilton in 2025
F1 analyst Davide Valsecchi is 'worried' about Ferrari's 2026 prospects, citing Charles Leclerc's dominance over Lewis Hamilton in 2025. Valsecchi doubts Ferrari will produce a leading car under new regulations and questions the long-term viability of Hamilton's project. Despite recent renewed contracts and commitment from drivers, internal struggles and on-track performance issues persist, raising concerns about the team's championship aspirations.
Former F1 driver and analyst Davide Valsecchi has expressed significant concern regarding Ferrari's F1 project, particularly looking ahead to the 2026 season. He pointed out that Charles Leclerc has 'destroyed' Lewis Hamilton in their 2025 campaign, leading Valsecchi to doubt Ferrari's ability to produce a leading car under the new regulations, and question the long-term project built around Hamilton.
Why it matters:
After a disappointing 2025 season where Ferrari has yet to win a Grand Prix and Hamilton has struggled significantly against Leclerc, concerns are mounting about the team's direction, especially with major regulation changes in 2026. This assessment from an F1 insider highlights the internal and on-track struggles that could undermine Ferrari's aspirations to return to championship contention, despite high-profile driver signings.
The Details:
- Leclerc's Dominance: With three rounds remaining in the 2025 season, Leclerc holds a 66-point lead over Hamilton in the Drivers' Championship. Leclerc has secured seven podiums, while Hamilton has none in his debut season with Ferrari.
- Valsecchi's Concerns: Valsecchi candidly stated he's 'a bit worried' about Ferrari, noting that Leclerc's consistency is the 'only rock solid' positive this year. He emphasized that Leclerc has 'destroyed' Hamilton in both qualifying and races, despite Hamilton being a seven-time World Champion.
- Hamilton's Long-Term Doubts: Valsecchi expressed skepticism about Hamilton as a 'medium-long term project' for Ferrari, especially given his age (40) and his recent performance against Leclerc, following his struggle against George Russell at Mercedes.
- 2025 Season Underperformance: Ferrari entered the 2025 season with championship ambitions, but McLaren secured back-to-back titles, with Lando Norris leading Oscar Piastri and Max Verstappen. This disappointment led to mid-season speculation about Team Principal Fred Vasseur's future, though he subsequently signed a new multi-year deal.
What's next:
The 2026 season will introduce significant overhauls to both cars and engines:
- Lighter, Smaller Cars: Cars will be 30 kilograms lighter with active aerodynamics, replacing the current Drag Reduction System (DRS).
- New Power Units: Engines will feature triple the current electrical power output and run on fully sustainable biofuel.
- Ferrari's Stability Concerns: Valsecchi believes that stable teams are usually better positioned to predict the future under new regulations. However, he sees Ferrari as currently lacking that stability, having undergone various changes and speculation about leadership.
Between the lines:
Despite Valsecchi's doubts, if Ferrari were to produce a leading car in 2026, he believes Leclerc would be the driver best suited to capitalize on it. He suggested that younger drivers might adapt better to the new regulations, and given Hamilton's struggles to adapt this year, he'd 'bet on Leclerc, no doubt about it.' Both Hamilton and Leclerc recently reaffirmed their commitment to Ferrari after team president John Elkann urged them to 'focus on driving, talk less' following a double DNF in Brazil.