Charles Leclerc says working with Lewis Hamilton is accelerating his learning curve ahead of the United States Grand Prix on October 25, as Ferrari readies its final SF-26 upgrade.

The Monegasque is documenting Hamilton’s techniques in detail, highlighting contrasting styles that frame Ferrari’s development choices and race-by-race execution.

Hamilton prefers late braking with a stable rear. Leclerc leans on heavy trail braking and rotation. Fred Vasseur views this divergence as expanding setup range rather than creating friction.

Leclerc stresses that the internal competition is relentless. He studies Hamilton’s data even after strong weekends, seeking marginal gains from approach, inputs, and corner phases.

The partnership informs Ferrari’s setup mapping and expands the SF-26 operating window. That aids correlation work and steers upgrade direction under cost-cap and testing constraints.

Ferrari’s final update is a revised floor aimed at drag reduction. Efficiency matters at Austin, where long straights and fast direction changes punish any aero compromise.

“100 per cent. There are weekends when Lewis is incredibly fast and I learn a lot.”Leclerc tempers expectations. He calls it a small, necessary step that still needs on-track verification during the initial laps to confirm wind-tunnel and CFD gains.

Rivals are bringing larger packages, so Ferrari’s progress is relative. Gains in straightline speed and stability could still shift qualifying and race prospects.

Leclerc has framed this campaign around a broader target, aligning immediate steps with a bigger goal for Ferrari rather than a single headline result.

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“I’ve got my notebook with a lot of notes, probably more than ever since Lewis joined the team.”Hamilton’s influence extends beyond lap time. Leadership during key weekends, including when he took charge in Singapore, sets internal benchmarks for process and execution.

The weekend hinges on how quickly Ferrari validates the floor. Early feedback in practice will dictate setup direction and whether the package stays on for qualifying.

Broader context also surrounds Hamilton’s future, with ongoing retirement speculation underscoring the value of extracting maximum benefit from the current pairing.

Small improvements remain decisive under today’s competitive compression. If the update correlates and the drivers’ contrasting styles align the window, Ferrari’s US GP could mark a useful step.

“It’s a small but necessary step; we need the early laps to judge it.”

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