Leclerc comments on V10 engines after Verstappen and Hamilton: 'Tricky even in terms of safety'

After Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton has their say on the matter, Charles Leclerc has spoken about the potential return to V10 engines in Formula 1.

Friday at the Bahrain Grand Prix will see the first two free practice sessions around the Bahrain International Circuit, but many eyes will be on the conversation between the FIA, Formula 1, and the teams on the grid, with the discussion about engines for 2026 and beyond taking place.

In just under a year, new technical regulations will come into force that will introduce new hybrid power units in the sport. This type of engine led Audi and Honda to commit to F1 for 2026 and beyond. However, there have been recent stories that some teams are not so happy with the direction taken, with some seeing the return of the V10 as a good alternative but preferably from 2028.

Leclerc identifies multiple issues with the new engines

Ferrari are said to be one of the teams in favor of the V10 in Formula 1 for 2026, despite saying very little on the matter. However, Charles Leclerc has expressed a preference for this type of engine.

Following on from Verstappen's comments, along with his teammate Lewis Hamilton, the Monegasque driver from Ferrari tells GPblog: "I think the V10 would be great."

"What I've been seeing for next year is not something that is particularly exciting for me, and I would say most of us are sharing the same opinion. Maybe some will be more vocal than others for different reasons, but yeah, I think we all agree V10 will be a better solution," Leclerc said.

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The 27-year-old adds that the drivers on the grid have no say in this discussion, but regarding the engine regulations for 2026, he says: "It's clear that for now, what we are looking at, it's not great. Not only for racing, but for everything, really. Even in terms of safety, in some cases, it's quite tricky. These are things that I think the FIA will look at. But I still don't know if there's enough time to tackle those things.

Leclerc concludes by saying there's not enough time to change plans now: "I think this choice has been made now, and we've got to deal with it in the best possible way. And our goal will be to be as competitive as possible. But as a driver's point of view, it is not that exciting."

This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen