Leclerc says commitment and precision are key as Ferrari heads to Baku for Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Charles Leclerc says the Baku City Circuit rewards commitment and precision, but warns that qualifying is where Ferrari struggles most this year.
- 23 September 2026
- 2, 3 or 5 centimetres
What Happened
Charles Leclerc is looking forward to getting back on track at the Baku City Circuit, a venue he has always enjoyed and where he says confidence and precision can make a particularly big difference. Speaking ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, he framed the challenge as a question of commitment and how far he is willing to push to the limit. He described it as a balance between the risks a driver wants to take, with precision equally important.
“The secret to any city track is commitment and how much you're willing to push to the limit. It's always a balance between the risks you want to take. Precision is also very important. Managing to get those two, three or five centimetres closer to the wall makes a big difference on tracks like this.”
Leclerc has often been particularly competitive over one lap in Baku, but he is not taking anything for granted this weekend. He said qualifying is probably where the team struggles most in terms of car performance this year, and that if they are in front in qualifying he is hopeful for the race. Before thinking about that, he said, the team must ensure it has prepared as well as possible. He also highlighted the importance of optimising every element of the package, particularly the power unit, on a circuit with such a long flat-out section.
“We've been struggling with a few things here and there in the last few weekends, and it's up to us to do a better job. It's a track that I enjoy driving and that has been good to me, especially on Saturday, but the races have been more challenging. Hopefully we can fix that this year.”
The Monegasque acknowledged that the last few races have not been as straightforward for the team as the earlier part of the season. He believes it is up to the whole team to make progress. Baku, he said, is a track he enjoys driving and one that has been good to him especially on Saturday, even though the races there have been more challenging. He hopes the team can fix that this year.
Previously from Ferrari N.V.
This weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix is the 15th round of the season. Ferrari has already noted that the event is being run on a reshuffled Thursday-to-Saturday schedule to avoid clashing with Azerbaijan's Remembrance Day.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Ferrari N.V.'s official releases.
Why this matters
The comments set expectations for Ferrari's weekend in Baku, where Leclerc says one-lap performance has been the team's weakest area this season. For Ferrari and its rivals, qualifying at a circuit that rewards precision and a strong power unit can shape the race result.
Terms in This Story
- power unit
- The complete set of engine and energy-recovery hardware that propels a racing car, treated as a single unit under the sport's rules.
- qualifying
- The timed session held before a race that determines the order in which cars start on the grid.
- Monegasque
- A person from Monaco.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.