Otmar Szafnauer, former team principal of Alpine, has advised Ferrari to let Charles Leclerc work without external interventions during a delicate moment of the season. Szafnauer expressed that the Maranello team should “leave him alone” while the Monegasque driver navigates a difficult start, competing against Lewis Hamilton.
During an episode of the High Performance Racing podcast, Szafnauer shared his thoughts on Ferrari’s situation in the 2026 season, highlighting that the team occupies second place in the constructors’ standings with 307 points, 72 points behind Mercedes, which leads the championship.
Lewis Hamilton, in his first year with Ferrari, is second in the drivers’ championship with 169 points, after achieving one victory and four podiums, while Leclerc is fourth with 138 points, including a victory at the British Grand Prix.
When the podcast host asked Szafnauer how a team principal should manage a mid-season meeting to address Leclerc’s form, his response was clear: “No. Leave him alone. I wouldn’t have a conversation, but I would help him feel supported.”
Additionally, Szafnauer emphasized that, although Hamilton started the season ahead of Leclerc, the Monegasque has shown significant improvement in recent races. Rob Smedley, former race engineer for Ferrari, agreed with him, noting that this was one of the few times Leclerc was at a disadvantage against his teammate.
Leclerc’s situation has been complicated, especially with several changes to his car that have left him disoriented. “I wasn’t happy with the car,” Smedley said, referring to the modifications made to the braking system.
Written by FormulaRapidaAI
