Ferrari's New Power Unit: Leclerc Aims for Victory at Monza

Charles Leclerc will arrive at Monza with more than just the usual roar of the Tifosi behind him. This time, Ferrari bring fresh power too – and both of their star drivers are talking openly about victory on home soil.

The team have rolled out a new evolution of their power unit for the Italian Grand Prix, using their 2026 ‘ADUO’ (Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities) allowance to squeeze extra performance from the engine that has often been their soft spot this season. An earlier step came in Austria; Monza is the next, and far more symbolic, chapter.

Lewis Hamilton had already set the tone by suggesting Ferrari could fight for the win at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza. When Leclerc faced the media, he didn’t try to dampen expectations.

“It will have a bit more power, which is always a good thing,” he said of the updated engine. “How much more power? Only time will tell.”

Power matters everywhere in Formula 1. At Monza, it decides careers. The Temple of Speed strips away the disguises. Long straights, heavy braking, low downforce: if you’re weak on the engine, you’re exposed. Leclerc knows it.

“The engine is definitely our weak part,” he admitted. “To do a step forward will help us close a little bit the gap to the guys in front.”

That gap is precisely what Ferrari are trying to erase, armed with a new power unit and fresh parts on the car. The target is clear: a third win of the season, to go with Hamilton’s triumph in Barcelona and Leclerc’s emotional home victory at Silverstone.

For the Monegasque, Monza is not just another race. It’s the scene of some of the defining days of his career. He talks about it that way.

“I’ll do my best in order to have a very special weekend like in 2019 and 2024,” he said, recalling his previous Monza wins in red. “Which are probably the best memories I have in racing, together with [the win in] Monaco in 2024.”

Those memories carry weight, but they won’t be enough on their own. Ferrari expect a fight.

“On a track like this, we expect to have a bit of a harder time because it’s lots of straight lines and we know that this is a bit of a weak point compared to our competitors so far,” Leclerc said. “But I’m still optimistic.”

The optimism doesn’t come from blind faith. It comes from execution. Ferrari have already turned supposedly unfavourable weekends into strong ones this year.

“Silverstone and Spa weren’t meant to be positive for us and we had a good weekend, but by having a perfect execution,” Leclerc pointed out. “We need to target that here.”

That will shape their approach across the weekend. Monza is usually all about Qualifying glory – pole position under the Italian sun, a sea of red beneath the podium. Yet Leclerc hinted that Ferrari might be willing to play a slightly different game.

“If there’s one track we can afford to maybe compromise a little bit Qualifying compared to the race, it’s this one,” he said. “However, our job is to make the car faster, and that will be beneficial for Qualifying and the race.”

The message is simple: no gimmicks, no shortcuts. Just a faster Ferrari and flawless execution.

“We have a new engine, we have new parts on the car, and I hope that helps us to put the others under a bit more pressure,” Leclerc added.

Pressure. That’s what Monza generates like nowhere else. Not just from rivals, but from the grandstands themselves.

For Leclerc, that connection with Italy runs deeper than a race weekend.

“Italy has always been very special for me,” he said. “I kind of grew up here through my karting career, I was very much living with my mechanics here, and so I have a very special connection with Italy and the people.”

“To be racing with Ferrari in Italy is already a special experience, but even more so for me. I just really hope we can convert all that positive excitement into a victory on Sunday.”

New power in the back, old dreams in the stands. If Ferrari’s upgrade delivers, Monza could be ready for another of those deafening, season-defining afternoons.