Ferrari’s decision to adopt a low-downforce setup at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix surprised many, including Jamie Chadwick, given Lewis Hamilton’s strong performance with a higher-downforce configuration during Friday practice in Baku. The team ran different downforce setups in back-to-back sessions but ultimately chose the more extreme low-downforce one for both Ferrari cars during qualifying and the race, which did not pay off as expected.
Though Hamilton led the first practice session, qualifying proved difficult, with Charles Leclerc crashing and securing only the tenth position on the grid. Hamilton, unexpectedly eliminated in Q2, started 12th. Both drivers finished the grand prix outside the points in eighth and ninth respectively, reflecting the consequences of Ferrari’s setup gamble.
Insights from Jamie Chadwick on Hamilton’s weekend
Speaking on The F1 Show podcast, Jamie Chadwick highlighted Hamilton’s initial comfort and strength, especially during braking, which was crucial at a technical circuit like Baku.
He definitely found something on Friday, particularly with the braking, that he seemed more comfortable with and at a track like Baku, that’s very important,
Jamie Chadwick said.
Chadwick noted Hamilton’s strong Friday run despite the use of an additional set of medium tyres, describing it as a “very strong, good performance.”
However, she expressed surprise at Ferrari’s reversal on Saturday.
But then on Saturday they reverted to Charles’ downforce level and went more in his direction and I was a little bit surprised they did that, especially given where Lewis was earlier in the weekend. They must have seen something in the data that led them in that direction.
Jamie Chadwick stated.
Looking forward, Chadwick remains cautiously optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects in upcoming races, pointing out tracks where the team has previously excelled.
I think where they can be excited is Singapore no, but Austin and Mexico they won both of those races last year, so they’ve got good tracks coming up,
she explained.
And Lewis is close to Charles. So between the two of them I’m hoping they can find some performance in the car but also push each other on to get some performance out of themselves as well.
Jamie Chadwick added.
Ferrari still faces challenges despite initial optimism
Sky Sports F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz emphasized that Ferrari’s weekend was far from ideal and that the team now faces significant hurdles after losing second place in the constructors’ championship to Mercedes.
Early promise went unrewarded I think is the best thing you can say,
Kravitz summarized.
He pointed to the cooler conditions adversely affecting Ferrari and acknowledged that qualifying was especially disappointing for both drivers and crew. Kravitz also referenced Hamilton’s radio communications during the race, indicating the driver’s struggle and questions to his engineer Riccardo Adami, which went largely unanswered.
He noted the need for Ferrari to address these issues promptly to contend for podiums on merit.
It was a weird one. Kind of felt they were getting somewhere and it then it sort of unravelled in qualifying. They are now not the constructors’ challengers to McLaren, suddenly it’s Mercedes, so yeah, not a great weekend.
Ted Kravitz remarked.
Focus shifts to upcoming races as Ferrari seeks recovery
The fallout from Baku reflects ongoing concerns within Ferrari about car performance and strategy, especially regarding the Lewis Hamilton Ferrari setup. With tracks like Austin and Mexico ahead—venues where Ferrari enjoyed success last year—the team hopes to regain competitive momentum. The rivalry between Hamilton and Leclerc remains a point of interest as both drivers strive to extract more from the car and challenge each other to elevate performance.
Ferrari’s choices and adjustments in the coming races will be critical in determining whether they can close the gap to Mercedes and reassert themselves as a top contender in this season’s constructors’ championship.
