Leclerc: “In case of rain with these cars we are more passengers than drivers”

What the Ferrari driver said Today the weekend in Miami will begin with the free practice session extended to 90 minutes to test the regulatory changes related to energy management and then the drivers will immediately have to push in the Sprint Qualifying which will determine the starting grid for tomorrow’s race. Sunday is the day most under the magnifying glass as regards the weather warning and already a year ago before the start of the Sprint we had a taste of how impassable the circuit that develops around the Hard Rock Stadium could be in case of rain. Charles Leclerc did not hide his fears about the wet race dynamics with the 2026 F1 cars: “I think the strange thing about these cars in the wet is that you can actually go much faster at the end of the straights compared to the dry. Using less battery means you don’t have the usual drops in power. It’s a bit strange and counterintuitive. The problem is that, with the poor visibility and the different engine strategies, you can find yourself in difficult situations. Under the rain, we are more passengers than drivers. We accelerate hard and expect the car in front to go at the same speed, but now with these cars that is no longer the case.”

Automobile Magazine – F1 English News
2026-05-01 17:00:00