Charles Leclerc has insisted there hasn’t been a shift in the Ferrari garage (Image: Getty)
Charles Leclerc has rejected claims that there has been a ‘shift’ in the Ferrari garage towards Lewis Hamilton.
Leclerc, 28, was comfortably Ferrari‘s top performing driver last season. Although Leclerc finished just one place higher than teammate Hamilton, 41, in the Drivers’ Standings, he recorded a mammoth 84 points more than the seven-time world champion, who endured a difficult debut season with the Italian team.
But Hamilton has been much improved in 2026 and goes into his home race at the British Grand Prix with 125 points on the board compared to Leclerc’s 79. Hamilton is third in the Drivers’ Standings behind Mercedes duo George Russell and Kimi Antonelli, while Monegasque-born Leclerc is down in sixth.
With Hamilton’s form returning, the Brit has consistently praised Ferrari for listening to his guidance and improving his car, while Leclerc is battling to get back to his best having not finished on the podium since the Japanese Grand Prix in March.
Despite this, Leclerc still doesn’t think the team has migrated across to favouring Hamilton’s side of the garage.
“No, I don’t think there’s been a particular shift in the garage,” Leclerc said ahead of the British GP. “A performance swing can happen. Last year it was one way, this year it’s another way. As a driver, you just focus on your side.
“But Ferrari has always been family for me.”
Leclerc has been at Ferrari for the last seven years after replacing Kimi Raikkonen and partnering four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. In that time, Leclerc has become one of the most consistent drivers on the grid.
Leclerc has been outperformed by teammate Lewis Hamilton this year (Image: Getty)
The former Sauber and Haas driver recorded his highest-ever final finish in the Drivers’ Standings back in 2022, coming second behind Red Bull‘s Max Verstappen, and he hasn’t finished below fifth in each of his last four seasons.
After a promising end to the 2025 season, there were hopes that Leclerc could challenge for the world title this time around. However, Hamilton has emerged as Ferrari’s realistic contender if they are to challenge for the Drivers’ Championship, with the ex-Mercedes man 46 points behind leader Antonelli and claiming pole for the Sprint race at the British GP this weekend.
With that in mind, there has been talk that Ferrari could issue team orders to Leclerc later on this season in an attempt to boost Hamilton’s chances of winning a record eighth world crown.
“We’ll see how it is at the end of the season,” said Leclerc, when asked about the prospect of receiving team orders.
“No matter the situation I find myself in, of course, teams come first. But I don’t really want to think about it as of now.
“I’ve got a lot to think about with my own performance at the moment, and that’s where my focus is. Then we will see later on.”
While Leclerc doesn’t feel that Ferrari has prioritised Hamilton this season, it appeared following last weekend’s Austrian Grand Prix that the Briton does have some preferential treatment with the team.
Indeed, during an on-stage interview post-race, Hamilton revealed that he would love to skydive to see the Red Bull Ring from above and hinted that Ferrari would allow him to do that.
But Leclerc then confirmed that Ferrari has instead banned him from skydiving, throwing a huge curveball and suggesting that Hamilton is treated differently in-house.
Hamilton is the favourite to win the British GP this weekend, having qualified fastest in Sprint Q3 on Friday. Leclerc, meanwhile, came in fifth ahead of the Sprint Race on Saturday.