Charles Leclerc's Optimism for Monza with New Engine Upgrade

Charles Leclerc will arrive at Monza with the same glint in his eye as his new team mate. Lewis Hamilton has already talked up Ferrari’s chances on home soil; Leclerc is matching that optimism and then some, banking on a fresh engine upgrade to ignite another “very special weekend” in front of the Tifosi.

This is not just another power unit tweak buried in a technical bulletin. It’s the second step in Ferrari’s 2026 ‘ADUO’ (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) programme, following the first phase rolled out in Austria. This one is aimed squarely at Monza – the Temple of Speed, where straight‑line grunt separates contenders from passengers.

Leclerc did not dress it up.

“It will have a bit more power, which is always a good thing,” he said. “How much more power? Only time will tell.”

Power matters here more than anywhere. Monza is throttle‑heavy, low downforce, slipstream‑obsessed. Ferrari know their weak spot has been the engine, and Leclerc did not shy away from it. The upgrade is designed to close the gap to the benchmark cars that have been punishing them on the straights.

“The engine is definitely our weak part,” he admitted. “To do a step forward will help us close a little bit the gap to the guys in front.”

That gap has not stopped Ferrari winning this season. Hamilton delivered in Barcelona. Leclerc himself lit up Silverstone. Both victories came from sharp execution rather than raw dominance. At Monza, he believes the same ruthless precision will be non‑negotiable.

“If there’s one track we can afford to maybe compromise a little bit Qualifying compared to the race, it’s this one,” he explained. The slipstream and strategy games on Sunday can rewrite a grid order in a lap. “However, our job is to make the car faster, and that will be beneficial for Qualifying and the race.”

The honesty continued when he looked at the layout. Long straights, heavy braking, repeated launches out of slow chicanes – exactly the kind of profile that has exposed Ferrari so far.

“On a track like this, we expect to have a bit of a harder time because it’s lots of straight lines and we know that this is a bit of a weak point compared to our competitors so far, but I’m still optimistic.”

That optimism is not blind. It comes from recent evidence. Silverstone and Spa, both high‑speed circuits, were circled as danger zones for Ferrari earlier in the year. They walked away from both with strong weekends, and in Leclerc’s case, a win at Silverstone.

“Silverstone and Spa weren’t meant to be positive for us and we had a good weekend, but by having a perfect execution. We need to target that here.”

Perfect execution. New engine. New parts. The picture is clear.

“We have a new engine, we have new parts on the car, and I hope that helps us to put the others under a bit more pressure.”

Monza, though, is never just about performance numbers for Ferrari. It is emotion, expectation, and history layered into every grandstand. For Leclerc, the connection runs even deeper than the usual Ferrari driver’s script.

“Italy has always been very special for me,” he said. He spent much of his karting life based there, living around his mechanics, growing up inside the Italian racing bubble. That bond has never really loosened. “I kind of grew up here through my karting career, I was very much living with my mechanics here, and so I have a very special connection with Italy and the people.”

He has already given them two Monza wins in red, in 2019 and 2024, days he ranks among the finest of his career, alongside his Monaco triumph in 2024. Those races turned him from prospect into hero in the eyes of the Tifosi.

“To be racing with Ferrari in Italy is already a special experience, but even more so for me. I just really hope we can convert all that positive excitement into a victory on Sunday.”

A new engine, a charged crowd, and a driver who knows exactly what it feels like to win here. The ingredients are on the table. Now Monza will decide whether Ferrari’s upgrade is enough to turn hope into another scarlet Sunday.