Leclerc expects to race every remaining round despite baby’s arrival

Charles Leclerc does not expect to miss any of the final six rounds of the 2026 Formula 1 season, despite the imminent arrival of his first child. The Ferrari driver said he would try to spend as much time at home as possible between races, even if that meant reaching the circuit later than usual.

Leclerc and his wife, Alexandra Saint Mleux, are expecting their first child. The due date is expected to fall during the season’s busy closing stretch, but the Monegasque said he still intends to take part in each Sunday race.

The balance between home life and the demands of an F1 weekend has also featured in past discussion of Leclerc’s focus during race weekends.

Leclerc plans to manage the tight closing calendar

The United States Grand Prix in Austin begins the first of two triple-headers. It is followed by races in Mexico and Brazil, then a weekend break before the final run of events in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

That schedule leaves limited time between rounds, with Leclerc indicating he will use whatever gaps are available to return home. He did not suggest that missing a race was likely, while acknowledging that his arrival at a circuit could be later than normal.

His comments come as he prepares to become a father for the first time. F1LivePulse has also covered Leclerc’s wider interests beyond the circuit, but his immediate plan is to remain available for Ferrari through the season finale.

Ferrari arrives in Austin seeking a close fight

Leclerc entered the Austin weekend fifth in the drivers’ standings with 215 points, 125 behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli. He expects the leading four teams to be closely matched at the Circuit of the Americas.

He pointed to recent races as evidence that even a modest upgrade can shift the order among those teams. Ferrari has brought updates to Austin, though Leclerc said they were not significant on paper and did not expect them to alter the hierarchy seen in recent rounds.

The driver nevertheless hopes the changes can help Ferrari compete at the front. His assessment was that the field should remain tight, with small gains potentially making a difference in the fight between the top teams.