Charles Leclerc’s 2026 season was supposed to be about establishing himself as Ferrari’s undisputed leader. Instead, the arrival of a resurgent Lewis Hamilton has created an intriguing new dynamic — and former Ferrari engineer Rob Smedley believes it may be getting inside Leclerc’s head.

Hamilton has rediscovered his competitive edge in his second season with Ferrari, taking victory in Barcelona and building a 191-point haul compared with Leclerc’s 155. Leclerc, meanwhile, has endured a frustratingly inconsistent campaign despite winning the British Grand Prix.

For Smedley, the contrast is significant. During a recent media interview, he said:

“You can’t discount what they did at the start of the season. Lewis was delivering, and is still delivering. Charles is up and down.”

His conclusion is striking: the psychological pressure of having a driver of Hamilton’s calibre alongside him could be contributing to Leclerc’s struggles.

Monza offered a vivid snapshot of Ferrari’s current turmoil. The teammates made contact — or came perilously close to it — at the opening chicane, with Hamilton forced onto the gravel.

Moments later, Leclerc suffered a frightening high-speed crash at the Parabolica, briefly losing clear vision in his right eye.

Ferrari’s problems, however, extend beyond its drivers. Team principal Fred Vasseur admitted the SF-26 was losing as much as 10 km/h to rivals on the straights, making overtaking and defending almost impossible.

Hamilton eventually finished sixth after Ferrari opted to run him to the flag on medium tyres.

For Leclerc, the challenge is therefore twofold. He must extract more from a Ferrari that is currently struggling against its rivals while simultaneously matching a teammate who appears increasingly confident.

Smedley insists Leclerc remains an exceptional driver. But in a team where expectations are relentless, Hamilton’s resurgence may have transformed the battle within Ferrari into one of the most compelling psychological contests on the grid.