Otmar Szafnauer tells Ferrari to ‘leave Charles Leclerc alone’ amid Lewis Hamilton battle
Former Alpine team principal Otmar Szafnauer has advised Ferrari management against calling Charles Leclerc in for a formal mid-season sit-down, insisting the Maranello outfit should “leave him alone” as he works through a challenging period alongside Lewis Hamilton.
Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast alongside former Ferrari race engineer Rob Smedley and host Jake Humphrey, Szafnauer offered his insights during a mid-season review of the 2026 championship.
Ferrari entered the mid-season break sitting second in the constructors’ standings on 307 points, trailing leader Mercedes by 72 points.
Hamilton sits second in the drivers’ standings with 169 points after securing his first grand prix victory with the team at the Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix and four podium finishes. Meanwhile, Leclerc is fourth in the standings with 138 points after securing a win at the British Grand Prix, three podium finishes, and two retirements in Monaco and Spain.
When Humphrey asked how a team principal should conduct a mid-season conversation to address Leclerc’s form, Szafnauer strongly rejected the idea of an intervention.
“No,” Szafnauer said. “Leave him alone. I would not have a conversation, but be supportive.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari
Photo by: Alastair Staley / LAT Images via Getty Images
“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,” Szafnauer explained. “I think Charles has stepped it up in the last two a little bit towards Lewis.”
Smedley echoed those sentiments, noting that facing an intra-team deficit was a rare experience for the Monegasque driver.
“I think this is the first time in a long time with Charles where his team-mate has had a significant upper hand,” Smedley explained.
“Charles wasn’t happy with the car. I know that they changed components around the braking system, types of material and stuff like that, but it felt like he was just slightly lost for a driver of his experience and how good he is.”
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
– The Motorsport.com Team
