“Must Not Get Carried Away” – Charles Leclerc Manages Expectations After Strong First Day at Austin

Scuderia Ferrari has brought its biggest upgrade package of 2026 to the Austin race, and Charles Leclerc seems to be taking to it very well. The Monegasque driver impressed on Day 1 of the U.S. Grand Prix with a clean sweep, but despite the feat, Leclerc has revealed that his team needs to be careful over the rest of the weekend.

With key changes made to their aerodynamic components, including the floor, sidepods and the diffuser, Leclerc was reluctant to get his hopes up when speaking to the F1 media after Friday’s session.

The 29-year-old said, “The feeling in the car was quite good. Our upgrades worked as expected, but we must not get carried away by too high expectations ahead of tomorrow, as I believe our competitors have more potential to unlock.”

Looking at some of his competition, the No. 16 driver tipped his hat to Max Verstappen and Kimi Antonelli, who “already look very strong.” While Leclerc isn’t sure of what the McLarens have in store for Austin, he is certain that Verstappen and Antonelli will be the ones to look out for.

How Friday Unfolded for Charles Leclerc in Austin

Driving at the location of his iconic ‘sunset lap,’ Leclerc made sure that a Friday at COTA would once again be memorable for his fans. Taking an upgraded SF-26 to the track, Leclerc managed to top both free practice sessions on the day, marginally beating Verstappen and Antonelli in each session.

Having topped the FP1 at the halfway mark, Leclerc knew that the timing leaderboard was about to be shaken up, given the red-walled tires were coming out to play. With an opening best time of 1:37.761, he was able to shave off another seven-tenths on the softs, while teammate Lewis Hamilton struggled to find grip on the softs early on.

Verstappen would then shoot up the rankings to P2, but could not find the pace to oust Leclerc, who finished 0.084s ahead.

FP2 was a similar state of affairs for Ferrari and Leclerc, who took the top spot once again. Verstappen and Antonelli remained in the mix as well, with the Championship leader taking P2, ahead of the Dutchman. The Monegasque driver delivered a best lap time of 1:35.291, with Antonelli’s quickest lap of the day being 0.042 seconds slower.

Hamilton, meanwhile, had a better outing this time, finishing the session in P4, with a best lap that was 0.615 seconds slower than his teammate. That said, Ferrari has so far only shown marginal advantage over its competition, and it stands as the perfect example of what Hamilton and Leclerc said on Thursday.

Hamilton and Leclerc Claimed the Ferrari Upgrades Were Only Marginal

Speaking to the F1 media pre-FP1, Hamilton kept a lid on his expectations for the weekend, suggesting that the upgrades brought to the SF-26 were “less than a tenth.” He added that the car chiming with the COTA would generate a bigger performance swing in the 2027 car.

Meanwhile, Leclerc brought the same sentiment to the fore, claiming that there are no “major upgrades” coming. Per the 29-year-old, the upgrades aren’t as big as people are making them, but they are a step in the right direction.

Despite the Ferrari drivers playing things down, Leclerc was able to clean sweep the Friday sessions, though one may bring in the sandbagging argument. The first real test of the upgrades would come during Saturday’s qualifying session, which is where the team has been lacking consistency.

Nonetheless, the upgrades brought to the SF-26 seem to be doing their job of taking the team down the correct path of development. Should the team keep the performances up, not only will they improve their consistency, but they will also have a safe jumping-off point for next year’s car.

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