Charles Leclerc and the Azerbaijan GP curse: can he finally break it?. Charles Leclerc has dominated Baku in qualifying but never won the race.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is set to deliver another intense weekend of racing. As always, the most anticipated protagonist at the Baku circuit has a very specific name: Charles Leclerc.

Since 2021, no one has managed to snatch pole position from him: four consecutive qualifying sessions dominated by the Monegasque driver, always capable of extracting the maximum from one of the most complex and unpredictable tracks of the season. Yet, beyond the magic of the single-lap pace, the race win has always eluded him.

Retirements due to reliability issues, imperfect strategies, and even a spectacular overtake by Oscar Piastri have denied Charles Leclerc the long-awaited victory. The question now is inevitable: will this be the time he finally triumphs?

McLaren ready to make history

While Charles Leclerc chases his first victory in Baku, McLaren is approaching a historic milestone. With over 330 points of advantage in the Constructors’ Championship, a potential one-two finish could deliver the title to the Woking team this weekend, marking the tenth Constructors’ Championship in the team’s history.

Red Bull: Baku as a testing ground

After their dominant performance in Monza, Max Verstappen and Red Bull aim to understand whether their return to victory was just a flash in the pan or the start of a new positive phase. However, Baku remains a challenging venue for the Dutch driver, as last year it was one of his toughest Grand Prix weekends.

Bearman under pressure

Finally, all eyes are on Ollie Bearman. The young Haas driver is just two points away from suspension due to accumulation, an ironic twist given that it is the same circuit where twelve months ago he replaced Kevin Magnussen, who himself was suspended. Another mistake here could prove extremely costly.