Szafnauer urges Ferrari to "leave Leclerc alone" amid Hamilton challenge

Szafnauer rejects formal Ferrari intervention

Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has advised Ferrari against holding a formal mid-season meeting with Charles Leclerc, arguing that the Monegasque driver needs support rather than additional pressure as he competes alongside Lewis Hamilton.

Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast with former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley and host Jake Humphrey, Szafnauer was asked how a team principal should address Leclerc’s current form. His answer was unequivocal: “Leave him alone. I would not have a conversation, but be supportive.”

The comments came during a mid-season review of the 2026 championship, with Ferrari second in the constructors’ standings on 307 points. The team trails Mercedes by 72 points, leaving the performance of both drivers central to its push in the second half of the season. Ferrari’s wider competitive position has also been examined in this assessment of the SF-26’s development record.

Leclerc’s response to the intra-team challenge

Hamilton occupies second place in the drivers’ standings with 169 points. He has taken his first grand prix victory with Ferrari at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and added four podium finishes.

Leclerc is fourth on 138 points, having won the British Grand Prix and claimed three podiums. However, two retirements, in Monaco and Spain, have contributed to the gap between the Ferrari team-mates.

Szafnauer suggested that the balance has shifted during the season rather than remaining firmly in Hamilton’s favour.

“Lewis at the beginning of the year, and I’m not speaking from facts, just the feeling I get, was a little bit more ahead of Leclerc than he is now,” he said. “I think Charles has stepped it up in the last two a little bit towards Lewis.”

Smedley agreed that the situation represented an unusual test for Leclerc, saying it was the first time in a long time that his team-mate had held a significant advantage.

A driver still searching for confidence

Smedley added that Leclerc had not been happy with the car and that Ferrari had changed components around the braking system, including materials. In his view, the result was a driver who appeared “just slightly lost” despite his experience and ability.

For Szafnauer, the appropriate response is therefore not an intervention, but a supportive environment that allows Leclerc to recover his momentum.