Leclerc Calls for Ferrari Response After Disappointing Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Baku, Azerbaijan – Charles Leclerc has urged Ferrari to swiftly address their performance issues following a lackluster Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he finished ninth and teammate Lewis Hamilton secured eighth place. Despite a double points finish, the result represents a important setback for the Scuderia, particularly given Leclerc’s previous success at the Baku City Circuit.
Leclerc, who had previously secured four consecutive pole positions at the venue, struggled throughout the weekend, culminating in a crash during Q3 that relegated him to a tenth-place starting position. Reflecting on the race, the Monegasque driver emphasized the need for immediate enhancement. “We’ve got to react. It’s not been a strong weekend at all,” he stated.
The Ferrari driver acknowledged a combination of factors contributed to their underwhelming performance. He pinpointed the car’s setup as a primary concern, admitting his approach may have been flawed.Furthermore, Leclerc noted the team’s struggles in cooler conditions, which prevailed throughout the weekend. “Our car is struggling whenever it’s cool and it’s been quite cold since yesterday and that made us struggle,” he explained.
However,Leclerc took full duty for the qualifying mishap,recognizing its detrimental impact on his race. “The main reason, and I am the first one responsible of that, is the mistake in Qualifying. When you start P10, it’s very arduous to change the situation,” he conceded.
The race itself proved frustrating for Leclerc, as he found himself stuck behind Liam Lawson for the majority of the 51 laps. “I kind of ended up the other side and I was stuck behind Liam [Lawson] the whole race. He did a really good job of defending and had good straight line speed so he could keep me behind, and I couldn’t really use my pace, so it was a boring race,” Leclerc lamented.
Despite a promising start to the weekend, with both Leclerc and Hamilton demonstrating competitive pace in Free Practice 2, the team failed to capitalize on their initial progress. Hamilton, who started from twelfth on the grid after failing to reach Q3, expressed contentment with his progress but echoed Leclerc’s sentiment regarding the importance of qualifying well.
“Got a good start and progressed to P8 was positive,” Hamilton said. He also acknowledged the team’s pace wasn’t optimal during the race, particularly in the first stint on the hard tires. “I think our ultimate pace was not great in the race and I think I lost a lot of ground in the first stint, particularly on the hard tire compared to the guys on the mediums,” he explained.
The disappointing result in Azerbaijan underscores the need for Ferrari to thoroughly analyze their performance and implement effective solutions to regain their competitive edge as the formula 1 season progresses. The team will be looking to bounce back in the upcoming races and deliver the results expected of a team with their pedigree.