Charles LECLERC vs Lewis HAMILTON
Did our AI pick the right driver?
Every prediction we publish ranks the full grid. For each round we take the driver we placed higher of these two, then check who actually finished higher.
For the most recent round the model picked Charles LECLERC.58%
Leclerc narrowly edged Hamilton in Q3 to line up on the front row (P2), which gives him critical clean air and track position into Turn 1 on a street circuit where overtaking is notoriously difficult.
A round is only scored when both drivers appear in the predicted order and both are classified in the result: a retirement is nobody's call. Published predictions are never edited afterwards.
The rivalry
Across 17 shared race weekends at Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton leads Charles Leclerc in points by 229 to 215. The internal race head-to-head is tied at 7-7, while Leclerc holds a 9-8 advantage in qualifying and leads 4-2 in sprints. Hamilton has secured one victory, six podiums, and one retirement, logging an average finish of 4.13 and an average qualifying position of 4.18. Leclerc has recorded one win, five podiums, and two retirements, with an average finish of 4.73 and an average qualifying result of 4.29. On track, the intra-team dynamic has featured closely matched machinery and strategic tension rather than direct contact. Floor and aerodynamic upgrades introduced across European rounds shifted relative comfort between setups, aiding Hamilton's race-stint consistency while Leclerc maintained an edge over single laps and shorter sprint distances. Despite friction surrounding team orders and track position management in races where podiums were contested, Ferrari has largely permitted them to race freely.
Round by round
2026 seasonCommon questions
Who is faster in qualifying, Charles LECLERC or Lewis HAMILTON?
Charles LECLERC leads Lewis HAMILTON 9–8 in qualifying head-to-head this season, counting only sessions where both drivers set a time.
Who has finished ahead more often, Charles LECLERC or Lewis HAMILTON?
Charles LECLERC and Lewis HAMILTON have finished ahead of each other an equal number of times this season, 7–7, counting only races where both drivers were classified.