Leclerc unsure Ferrari has a short-term fix for qualifying weakness

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Leclerc says falling track temperatures exposed Ferrari’s difficulty keeping its car in the optimum operating window in Austin, and he is unsure whether the team has a near-term solution.

GPBeat · NewsroomGPBeat · Newsroom01 Nov 2026, 07:55 · 1 min

Charles Leclerc is unsure whether Ferrari can find a short-term fix for the operating-window problem he says cost the team a front-row place in Austin. Speaking ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, he said the SF-26 becomes particularly sensitive outside its optimum window, and that Ferrari struggled more than rivals to keep the car there as track temperatures fell in Q3.

Leclerc said the limitation came into play on the decisive lap in Austin. He qualified fourth at Circuit of the Americas, but a strong start put him in the podium fight and he finished second.

Ferrari knew about the limitation and was focused on it, Leclerc said; before Saturday in Mexico, the team would try to get the car into its operating window. He did not consider Ferrari the favourite there, naming Mercedes as favourites and Red Bull as very strong. He also said Ferrari had good momentum after Singapore and Austin and hoped it could have a great weekend if it maximised its potential.

Sources 01