Leclerc minimizes the Ferrari-Merc rivalry despite initial contests.

      "There’s a difference of four or five tenths of a second."

      Charles Leclerc has minimized the perceived closeness between Ferrari and Mercedes, asserting that the gap at the front is "not as close as it appears." While Ferrari has positioned itself as the clear second team behind the dominant Mercedes following the first two races of 2026, Leclerc believes the battles on the track have created a misleading impression.

      "I think the fight at the front isn’t as tight as it seems. We’re not as close as people believe," he stated at Suzuka. "In the initial races, we had some contests up front, which is great. However, if you make even a slight mistake with energy management in these cars, you can lose significant time. This allows you to apply pressure to the leaders, but they reveal their true speed once they have a clear track."

      Leclerc believes the actual deficit is evident. "There's the difference of four or five tenths of a second per lap, which we already observed in the early races. That’s a considerable amount," he commented. "But I won’t be discouraged by that. We have several developments in progress that should assist us. We must avoid overreacting, which can easily happen in this scenario. Our focus needs to be on ourselves."

      The Ferrari driver remains optimistic that the gap can be closed as the season progresses, especially during the early development phase of the new regulations. "The season is still in its early stages, and I think it’s feasible. Nevertheless, it poses a substantial challenge and is far from easy," he noted. "Mercedes isn’t resting either and is pushing hard."

      Leclerc highlighted the power unit as the primary source of disparity. "A lot can be accomplished simply by optimizing the power unit. I believe that’s the main difference between us and Mercedes," he remarked. "However, there are also areas within the chassis where we can make improvements, even if I think we have a reasonably strong chassis. The significant gap compared to Mercedes lies in the engine."