Ferrari is gearing up for the upcoming race weekend in Baku. Thanks to an extra week of preparation, the Scuderia is heading to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with high confidence. Last year, Charles Leclerc delighted his team with a podium finish, and twelve months later, Ferrari is aiming for a ‘strong result’: ‘It’s crucial that we execute everything to perfection,’ says team boss Frédéric Vasseur.
After a reasonably successful home race weekend for Ferrari – Charles Leclerc finished in fourth place just off the podium, while Lewis Hamilton managed to climb four places from P10 – the Italian racing team is also heading to Baku. Last year’s race through the capital of Azerbaijan was one of mixed feelings for the Scuderia. While Charles Leclerc made it to the podium, then Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz Jr couldn’t finish his race after a collision with Sergio Pérez. Both drivers ended the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the wall.
‘Unpredictable Races’
A year later, Ferrari is at the starting line with Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel of the SF-25. Team boss Frédéric Vasseur is already looking forward to the race weekend in Azerbaijan. “Baku is always an interesting weekend, with the combination of long straight sections and a very technical middle part,” the Frenchman begins in the preview. “It often results in unpredictable races and opportunities, so it’s important that we execute everything to perfection. We will focus on getting the maximum out of our package.”
After the double header of the Grands Prix of the Netherlands and Italy, Ferrari – like the other teams – had two weeks to prepare for the race in Baku. According to Vasseur, the Scuderia made good use of the free weekend. “The team has worked hard on preparing for the event and our operation throughout the entire weekend, knowing that these elements can really make a difference on a street circuit. If we do this well, I am confident that we can achieve a strong result with both drivers.”
