Charles Leclerc acknowledged that an error during qualifying significantly affected his performance at the 2025 Azerbaijan GP, leading to a disappointing race despite Ferrari’s strong straight-line speed. Speaking after the race in Baku, the Monegasque driver accepted responsibility for his underwhelming weekend, which prevented him from securing a better result.
During Q3 qualifying, Leclerc caused a red flag after crashing into the barrier, forcing him to start the race from tenth on the grid. Unable to break into the top five, he ultimately finished ninth, behind midfield drivers such as Liam Lawson and Isack Hadjar in their Racing Bulls, as well as Carlos Sainz in a Williams. With only one safety car intervention during the race, managing strategy and overtaking proved critical, yet Leclerc struggled to make progress.
Leclerc admitted his Q3 mistake put him at a significant disadvantage from the outset, and despite Ferrari’s clear speed advantage on the straight, he found himself trapped in traffic for much of the race. He emphasized that such errors must not be repeated if he is to produce stronger outcomes in upcoming events.
Leclerc Reflects on the Impact of His Qualifying Error
Charles Leclerc has taken full accountability for his subpar performance throughout the Azerbaijan weekend, recognizing that he failed to deliver the level of driving he usually expects from himself. Although Ferrari’s strategy seemed sound on paper, the unpredictable pace of rival cars, particularly Liam Lawson’s Racing Bull, forced Leclerc into a difficult battle behind slower vehicles.
Leclerc spent the majority of the Azerbaijan GP trying to pass Lawson, whose car proved faster than anticipated, especially in the final sector and on the straights. This relentless traffic ultimately compromised Leclerc’s race pace and final position, an outcome he attributed to his own performance shortcomings across the weekend’s sessions.
“Yeah, I think it was a bit roll of a dice to get the right strategy today. I mean, the medium hard or hard medium was kind of the same. I mean, it was obviously the same on paper. And then you will just hope that you were with the most amount of fast cars on the same strategy and I ended up with obviously Liam, which was very strong in the straight, very strong in the last sector, very difficult to take.” – Charles Leclerc, driver
“Even on the cars that had reverse strategy and I got stuck behind him the whole race. So it was very frustrating, but yeah, good job to him and at the end of the day, the only thing I can do is to be harsh with myself and not having performed the way I have. Yesterday in qualifying, obviously with a mistake in Q3. It’s been a very strong season so far, but this weekend I haven’t been on the level where I should be, and yeah, and I pay the price of it today.” – Charles Leclerc, driver
Ferrari’s Struggles and Championship Implications After Baku
Leclerc’s error and the subsequent race difficulties had broader consequences for Ferrari in the constructors’ championship. Currently, Leclerc stands fifth in the drivers’ rankings with 165 points, while his teammate Lewis Hamilton occupies sixth place with 121 points. Ferrari, however, endured a challenging race weekend in Baku, dropping to third place in the team standings.
The setback allowed Mercedes to climb to second in the constructors’ championship with 290 points. Ferrari trails narrowly behind on 286 points, maintaining only a 14-point lead over Red Bull, which holds 272 points in fourth. This tight battle among Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull underscores the significance of every race result moving forward, as the competition for second place remains fiercely contested.
Leclerc’s Determination to Avoid Future Mistakes
Leclerc’s comments after the Azerbaijan GP revealed a driver keenly aware of the mistakes that marred his performance and determined to prevent repeat errors. Despite Ferrari’s evident speed advantage on straights, his inability to capitalize on that in Baku exposed vulnerabilities in qualifying and race execution.
Leclerc admitted the frustration of being unable to pass slower cars even with full power and recognized that hard self-assessment and improvement are necessary steps.
“Yeah, yeah, but I, again, I mean, the second part of the race was. I had full power and it still wasn’t enough to get past, so it was a very frustrating race, but. Again, I think work should be hard on myself is for yesterday and for today, it’s kind of the result of my mistake Q3 yesterday. So I yeah, today was very frustrating, but it was frustrating for a reason and I, yeah, well I shouldn’t do this mistake again Q3.” – Charles Leclerc, driver
As Ferrari and Leclerc regroup from this setback, the pressure mounts for improved qualifying performances and race execution if they are to maintain their championship ambitions. The Azerbaijan GP served as a harsh reminder that even small errors can have a significant impact in a highly competitive season. With the championship battle tightening, the coming races will test both Leclerc’s resilience and Ferrari’s ability to capitalize on their strengths.
