Leclerc Slams Hadjar’s Claim That Verstappen Would Have Dominated in a Ferrari

Charles Leclerc has dismissed Isack Hadjar's claim that Max Verstappen would have been even more dominant at the Singapore Grand Prix if he had been driving for Ferrari. The Ferrari driver labeled the suggestion as "nonsense," questioning the validity of any outsider attempting to judge the performance of rival machinery without internal technical data.

Why it matters:

This debate underscores the razor-thin margins of the 2026 season. While Verstappen's victory in Singapore was emphatic, the suggestion that the SF-26 was actually the fastest car on the grid creates a narrative of "wasted potential" for Ferrari—a claim Leclerc is eager to shut down to protect the team's technical reputation and the integrity of their development path.

The Details:

• The Claim: Isack Hadjar suggested that while Red Bull was dominant in Malaysia, they didn't have the fastest car in Singapore. He argued that putting Verstappen in the SF-26 would have resulted in an even larger winning margin.
• Leclerc's Response: The Monegasque driver argued that neither he nor Hadjar has the necessary insight into the opposition's car to make such sweeping statements, calling the comparison baseless.
• Technical Complexity: Leclerc emphasized that in a tight field, performance relies more on optimizing the specific package and setup for a track than on raw theoretical speed.
• The Performance Gap: Verstappen won the Singapore GP by 7.3 seconds over Leclerc, a margin Hadjar believes could have been wider had the Red Bull driver been in the Ferrari.

The Big Picture:

Beyond the friction with Hadjar, Leclerc views the current competitive landscape as incredibly tight, with one notable exception. He pointed to Mercedes as the only "outlier," suggesting the Brackley-based team has yet to unlock the performance everyone expected from them this season. According to Leclerc, if Mercedes finally solves their performance puzzle, they could potentially emerge as the fastest team on the grid.

What's next:

The paddock now shifts to the Circuit of the Americas for the opening round of the penultimate triple-header. With the 2026 championship entering its decisive phase, Ferrari is focused on defending its runner-up position in the standings and attempting to close the gap to Mercedes in the Constructors' championship.