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Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton have officially begun their 2026 campaign with Ferrari, completing a successful shakedown of the team's new challenger in Barcelona. While the weather conditions were far from ideal, with rain dampening the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, the Scuderia focused entirely on system checks and reliability rather than outright lap times. For Leclerc, the first run was a positive step into the unknown.
A "Completely Different" Beast
Speaking after his stint in the car, Leclerc described the 2026 machinery as "completely different" from anything he has driven before. The new regulations, which place a heavy emphasis on energy management and active aerodynamics, have fundamentally changed the driving experience. Leclerc noted that while they haven't pushed the car to its limits yet, the workload inside the cockpit feels significantly higher. Drivers are now required to manage various systems constantly, a challenge that he believes will make the racing more exciting but also more mentally taxing.
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Lewis Hamilton took over driving duties in the afternoon, marking a low-key start to his high-profile chapter in red. The team worked methodically through their checklist, ensuring that the complex software governing the power unit and energy deployment was functioning correctly. According to Leclerc, "everything did what it was supposed to do," which is the only metric that matters at this stage of the pre-season.
Ambitions to Return to the Top
Ferrari enters 2026 with the weight of expectation on its shoulders. It has been years since the team last sustained a championship challenge, and Leclerc is eager to see where they stack up against the competition. He acknowledged that the new rules provide a massive opportunity for any team to "make the difference" and jump to the front of the grid.
While the true pace of the car won't be known until dry running begins, the mood in Maranello is one of quiet determination. Leclerc emphasized that regardless of where they start in Melbourne, the goal is to push heavily on development to bring Ferrari back to the top. With a solid baseline established in the wet, the team can now look forward to unlocking the true performance of their new weapon.
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