Charles Leclerc is gearing up for a tough weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but he remains optimistic about Ferrari’s future prospects. The Monegasque driver has had a difficult start to the season, with two retirements in the first three races and a grid penalty that limited his performance in the other. However, with a break of nearly a month to reflect and the team working hard on upgrades at their factory, Leclerc is hopeful that Ferrari can turn things around as the season progresses.
This weekend, however, poses its own set of challenges. The new Sprint format means that teams only have one hour of practice on Friday, which is far from ideal, especially on a street circuit like Baku. The track will be at its dustiest, and with limited time, the teams will need to gather enough data to fine-tune their car’s setup, test out any upgrades, and conduct race simulations, all while trying out all three tyre compounds. Leclerc acknowledges the difficulty of this scenario.
“It’s going to be a very, very difficult weekend, if not one of the most difficult of the year, having a Sprint weekend this weekend,” Leclerc said. “Having only one free practice session, on a street circuit, after three weeks break is going to be challenging, but I am looking forward to it.” Despite the challenges, Leclerc’s determination to take on the weekend shows his competitive spirit, and his outlook for the future remains positive.
