Ferrari head to Baku after a weekend filled with mega highs and disastrous lows at Monaco in May.
Carlos Sainz landed the team’s first podium of the season after crossing the line in second behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in first and ahead of McLaren’s Lando Norris in third.
While it was a weekend of celebration for the Spanish driver and indeed the team, on the other side of the garage was an extremely disappointed Charles Leclerc.
After landing pole position with the fastest lap in his hometown, the Monegasque driver brought the day to an early close after hitting the barriers exiting the swimming pool complex with just 18s left in Q3.
The car was given the ‘all-clear’ to race on Sunday, however, just minutes before lights out at the Circuit de Monaco, Ferrari officials confirmed the 23-year-old Monegasque driver would not start the race due to an issue with the left driveshaft which the team was unable to fix in time for the start of the race.
The Italian team will be looking forward to the fresh start this weekend, with hopes of both drivers crossing that finish line on Sunday.
“The podium finish in Monaco was important because it was a sort of reward for all the work we have done so far this season,” said Ferrari’s Carlos.
“I was pleased to see that we were competitive in Monte Carlo, but here in Baku, I expect the hierarchy will go back to the one we have seen in the other races this year, with very small gaps between the cars in the group right behind the two teams at the front.
“As for the track, it is quite special and I think all the drivers like it.”
Acknowledging the incident before lights out in Monaco Charles Leclerc said he believes it was a “one-off” and that they’ll be back fighting fit this weekend.
“Apart from Monaco, Baku is my favourite street circuit and in fact one of my outright favourites,” Charles Leclerc revealed.
“I love driving between the walls and I have great memories as it was here that I scored my first Formula 1 points and I was very quick too in 2019.
“I feel that the Monaco weekend was a one-off and that here we will return to fighting down to the nearest thousandth to be ahead of our rivals in the mid-field.
“We need to do a good job, because just the slightest little thing can make the difference.”
