Leclerc Calls for Ferrari Upgrades After Baku Shortfall
Following a challenging Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc has urged Ferrari to ramp up their development efforts. The Monegasque driver emphasized the need for upgrades to compete with Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren.
Charles Leclerc left the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with more questions than answers, urging Ferrari to accelerate their upgrade program to close the gap with rivals like Mercedes, Red Bull, and McLaren. Despite securing a front-row start, Leclerc found himself eight-tenths off George Russell’s pole time and struggled to keep pace during the race. Starting on soft tyres, he aimed for an early lead but was soon overtaken by Oscar Piastri and both Red Bull drivers, eventually finishing fourth.
Reflecting on the race, Leclerc remarked, "They were very strong," acknowledging Red Bull's particular strength and McLaren's competitive performance. "We were quite far off Mercedes, far off Red Bull, a bit behind McLaren—these are our competitors and it’s not new," he added, noting the consistent trend of losing ground to these teams. The need for upgrades was clear, as Ferrari failed to introduce any new developments in Baku, unlike McLaren and Red Bull.
Leclerc expressed his concern about Ferrari's ability to maintain their position in the Constructors' Championship, where they aim to secure second place. "We've got things in the pipeline, but I don't know what the others have in the pipeline," he said, expressing uncertainty about how Ferrari's development program stacks up against its rivals.
Leclerc's teammate, Lewis Hamilton, endured a similarly uneventful race, finishing where he started in sixth place. Hamilton's main highlight was a brief battle with Lando Norris, though he was later overtaken by Kimi Antonelli. "I was just surprised all weekend—I couldn't get the tyres working at all," Hamilton admitted, describing a frustrating race where tyre performance was inconsistent. "It's different at every track. The last track I think we were okay, but for some reason this weekend we couldn't get it working the whole weekend."
As the season progresses, the pressure is on Ferrari to bring meaningful upgrades to remain competitive against the likes of Red Bull and McLaren, who continue to push the envelope on performance.