Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc faced an intermittent engine problem during the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, prompting the team to launch a thorough investigation. This issue, which disrupted his race performance in Baku, has raised concerns as the squad prepares for upcoming challenges.
Leclerc’s Azerbaijan Weekend Marred by Engine Trouble and Team Dynamics
Charles Leclerc arrived in Baku as the favorite, having secured pole position in the previous four Azerbaijan Grands Prix. However, his 2024 outing was far from his usual dominance. After crashing out during qualifying, Leclerc finished a lowly ninth place, a result compounded by tension involving teammate Lewis Hamilton.
In the closing stages, Leclerc agreed to let Hamilton pass to attack racers ahead—Lando Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, and Liam Lawson—on fresher tires. Yet Hamilton failed to return the favor before the finish line, leaving Leclerc frustrated with the unresolved position swap.
Although Leclerc publicly voiced that Ferrari’s internal orders were not properly honored by Hamilton, he also claimed the lost eighth place mattered little after an overall difficult weekend. Still, over team radio, Leclerc described the situation as “stupid” and “not fair,” revealing his displeasure.
Unpredictable Engine Performance Affected Leclerc’s Race
Beyond the team orders, Leclerc struggled with an intermittent engine fault during the early stint of the race. The power delivery between laps fluctuated unpredictably, limiting his ability to overtake rivals on the straights and keeping him trapped behind slower cars in DRS zones.
Leclerc explained,
“Unfortunately, I had a quite big power unit issue for 10 laps in the first stint and we don’t really know what is the reason for that yet, because it kind of came back from one lap to the other.”
He added,
“It’s not like it’s been there for the whole race – I was fine towards the end. But in the phase where I think we probably had the chance to actually overtake cars, I was just stuck in DRS [trains] and very slow down the straight, so I couldn’t do much in that first phase after that.”
I had full power [for] the second part of the race and it still wasn’t enough to get past, so it was a very frustrating race.
— Charles Leclerc, Ferrari driver
Team Principal Vasseur Promises Detailed Analysis Ahead of Singapore
Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur acknowledged the problem and its impact on Leclerc’s performance. He estimated the engine issue cost the driver around half a second per lap, a significant handicap in Formula 1’s competitive environment. The team is now prioritizing uncovering the root cause before the Singapore Grand Prix.
Vasseur stated,
“We had an issue with Charles’ engine, which we will now investigate.”
Even if it was marginal, it was enough to prevent him from being able to overtake in a straight line, which explains why we were stuck behind Lawson.
— Fred Vasseur, Ferrari team principal
Implications for Ferrari’s Season and Upcoming Races
The unclear engine malfunction has injected an element of uncertainty into Ferrari’s campaign, especially as Leclerc has been a key contender in previous Azerbaijan races. This unexpected complication, combined with intra-team tension involving Hamilton and the complexity of race strategy, underscores the difficulties Ferrari now faces.
As the team examines the engine problem, their findings will be crucial for ensuring Leclerc’s competitiveness in the remaining calendar. The approaching Singapore Grand Prix is set to be an important test to gauge whether Ferrari can resolve the technical challenges and restore Leclerc’s usual pace and racecraft.
