Charles Leclerc couldn’t hide his disappointment after Ferrari’s hopes for a strong double podium finish were shattered by a late-race crash between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Leclerc, who led from pole and fought fiercely with Oscar Piastri for the race win, managed to secure a P2 finish, but Sainz’s crash in the penultimate lap brought an abrupt end to Ferrari’s chances of maximizing points.
Piastri delivered a masterful defensive drive to clinch his second career victory, leaving Leclerc trailing in second after the Monegasque driver struggled to keep up with the McLaren’s superior pace in the final stages. While Leclerc praised McLaren and Piastri’s exceptional performance, his frustration was palpable as he reflected on the late-race chaos that saw his teammate Sainz collide with Perez, knocking both out of podium contention.
“It’s a great shame for Carlos,” Leclerc admitted. “I hope everyone’s okay, but it wasn’t a great day for the team. McLaren and Oscar did an exceptional job and were just better than us.”
Leclerc had taken pole and looked strong early on, but a crucial moment in the race saw him lose out to Piastri with a bold move from the Australian. Leclerc acknowledged his own misstep, admitting that he failed to defend aggressively enough when it mattered most, costing him a shot at victory.
“In the straights, I couldn’t get as close as I wanted, and we lost the race when I didn’t defend as well as I could have. It’s frustrating, but sometimes you make mistakes, and I’ll learn from this,” Leclerc said.
Ferrari’s loss was compounded by the fact that McLaren’s dominant performance in Baku vaulted them into the lead of the Constructors’ Championship. The Woking-based team now holds a 20-point advantage over Red Bull, leaving Ferrari and their rivals with an uphill battle to close the gap as the season progresses.
With Sainz’s DNF and Red Bull also missing out on major points due to the crash, Ferrari will have to regroup and refocus to stay competitive in the fierce fight for both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships. For now, all eyes are on how the Scuderia will respond to McLaren’s rising dominance as the season moves forward.
