Charles Leclerc identifies crucial 'domination' cut-off in new F1 era

Charles Leclerc believes that by round six or seven next season, the F1 competitive order for the coming years will have become clear.

The Ferrari driver feels it will take a few races for the pecking order to be established, but once it is, the paddock will have a "good idea" of who will be "dominating" the championship until 2030, when the next regulations change is due.

F1 is overhauling its chassis and power unit rules, with all 11 teams unveiling completely brand new machines around the time track action resumes with the private test at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya in late January.

Following that, there will be two official tests in Bahrain during February, before the campaign kicks off in anger with the Australian Grand Prix in early March.

The sixth and seventh rounds of the year will be the first American leg of the calendar, over the Miami and Canadian Grands Prix.

As for his own team, Leclerc claims he does not know how strong the Scuderia will be, having faltered this year, failing to win a grand prix for the only time during the contemporary ground effects era.

Ferrari started the outgoing regulations cycle as the strongest package, but soon slipped behind Red Bull, which dominated until McLaren came to the fore halfway through 2024.

When asked if the Maranello-based squad was in a better place now than before the last rules reset, Leclerc told media, including RacingNews365: "I have no idea.

"Nobody is... we don't know where the others are. There are so many unknowns. So I'd rather not speak, and wait until next year in the first few races, and see where we are.

"And, in the meantime, just focus on the project and try to work in the best possible way. And then we'll see."

When it was put to the eight-time grand prix winner that performance next year could dictate the entire era, he agreed.

Even if the recent regulations have proven that the balance of the pecking order can shift throughout a rules cycle.

"Yeah, I think it will be, yes," the 28-year-old said in response, before explaining when he expected the picture to become clear.

"Maybe not in the first three or four races, but by race six, seven, I think we'll have a good idea of who the teams are that will be dominating for the four years after."