Title: Charles Leclerc Blames Power Unit Nightmare for Disastrous Start at Azerbaijan GP
In a shocking revelation, Ferrari’s star driver Charles Leclerc has attributed his lackluster performance at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to a crippling power unit malfunction that plagued him during the race’s crucial early moments. Starting from a disappointing 10th position, Leclerc found himself trapped in the midfield chaos, unable to capitalize on any overtaking opportunities while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen charged ahead to claim a commanding victory.
Leclerc’s day was marred by an unrelenting struggle against a tightly packed field led by Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, making it nearly impossible to gain any ground on the challenging Baku circuit, notorious for its limited chances to overtake. “It was a roll of the dice to get the right strategy today,” Leclerc lamented. “The medium-hard and hard-medium strategies seemed the same on paper, but I ended up behind Liam, who was incredibly fast in the straights and last sector, making it difficult to pass—even against cars on reverse strategies. I was stuck behind him for the entire race, and it was frustrating.”
The exasperation didn’t end there. Leclerc was left grappling with a significant power unit issue that struck during the first 10 laps, sapping his vehicle’s performance at a critical time. “Unfortunately, I had a quite big power unit issue for about 10 laps in the first stint,” he explained. “We don’t really know the reason yet—one moment it was fine, and the next, I was struggling. I need more information about that situation.”
Despite his struggles, Leclerc was aware of the stakes, acknowledging his own misstep during qualifying. “I need to be harsh on myself. I didn’t perform the way I should have in qualifying. It’s been a strong season so far, but I wasn’t at my best this weekend, and today I paid the price.”
The dismal outcome saw Leclerc and teammate Lewis Hamilton finishing in 9th and 8th places, respectively, contributing a meager six points to Ferrari’s tally. As the team looks ahead, Leclerc hopes for brighter prospects in the warmer climate of Singapore. “Our car struggles in cold conditions, while Mercedes excels. Yesterday, they were one of the few teams to make the medium tires work in Q3. We perform better in hotter weather, so I anticipate we’ll be stronger in Singapore.”
Ferrari’s team principal, Fred Vasseur, added his voice to the concerns surrounding Leclerc’s power unit issues. “Charles had an engine problem—it wasn’t a five-tenths-a-lap loss, but it was enough to keep him behind other drivers and unable to overtake. The cost of that is not just the two tenths lost on the engine, but also the gap to the car in front.”
As the dust settles from the Azerbaijan GP, one thing is clear: Leclerc and Ferrari must overcome their technical woes if they hope to reclaim their competitive edge in the upcoming races. The stakes are high, and with Singapore on the horizon, the team is eager to unleash their true potential. Will Leclerc bounce back and silence his critics? Only time will tell.
