Photo: Race Pictures

Leclerc confirms worrying prediction for the 2026 F1 season

14:00, 17 Feb

byKada Sarkozi

Charles Leclerc believes overtaking will be difficult with the new generation of Formula 1 cars.

"But it always comes with a price: whenever you are going to overtake, and the price is a lot more costly than it was in the past."

- Charles Leclerc

With the new way of battery management, many drivers believe overtaking can prove to be difficult after the new car regulations were introduced in Formula 1.

Charles Leclerc is on the same page as the other drivers on the grid. Speaking to GPblog in Bahrain, the Ferrari driver explained: "We've checked it and I kind of share what my colleagues have said. I find it extremely difficult to make any overtakes at the moment.

"But it might improve with time in how we manage these kind of situations. But it always comes with a price: whenever you are going to overtake, and the price is a lot more costly than it was in the past.

"So that's why I think it's very, very difficult to complete an overtake and then pull away like it was the case last year."

Charles Leclerc - Photo: Race Pictures

Stella also raises concerns

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella believes changes are needed in three key areas of racing already before the Australian Grand Prix, with one of them being overtaking.

The Italian said: "This year when you follow somebody, you have the same drag and the same power. So it becomes quite difficult to overtake. Our drivers have been racing with other drivers during these three days of testing in Bahrain and they have found it extremely difficult to overtake."

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