Palmer: Leclerc facing 'toughest moment of his career' at Ferrari

Former F1 driver Jolyon Palmer believes Charles Leclerc is enduring the "toughest moment of his career" at Ferrari, as the Monegasque struggles to match team-mate Lewis Hamilton amid a challenging 2026 campaign.

Why it matters:

Leclerc currently trails Hamilton by 46 points in the drivers' championship despite Ferrari fielding a competitive SF-26. With Hamilton scoring the team's only victory so far in Barcelona, the seven-time champion's arrival has intensified the pressure on Leclerc, who has made critical qualifying errors that Palmer attributes to overdriving.

The details:

• Overdriving: Palmer argues Leclerc's instinctive aggression and raw pace are now working against him. The 28-year-old has pushed beyond the limit too frequently in qualifying, undermining his race weekends and amplifying the pressure from across the garage.
• Car behavior: The SF-26's snappy nature is central to the struggle. While the car possesses strong front-end grip, its lively rear end proves difficult to manage when provoked by an aggressive driving style.
• Contrasting approaches: Hamilton's calmer, more measured approach has allowed him to better control the Ferrari's constraints and maximize results, whereas Leclerc's natural flamboyance is exposing the car's instability.

What's next:

Silverstone's long straights present another immediate hurdle, but the Hungarian Grand Prix offers a stronger opportunity for Leclerc to reset. He claimed pole in Budapest last year, and the tight, flowing layout could play to his strengths if he can string together clean weekends to rebuild the confidence and swagger Palmer insists will return.