F1 | Ferrari confirms engine problems with Charles Leclerc’s SF-25 during the Azerbaijan GP
Ferrari has confirmed the engine problems encountered during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, raising the risk of a grid penalty for Singapore. The weekend in Baku proved to be extremely underwhelming for the Italian side After starting on a positive note on Friday, the team’s performance declined, ending the race with a bitter eighth and ninth place on Sunday. Ferrari in Maranello confirmed that the SF-25 suffered power unit issues, which could lead to a penalty at the next Grand Prix in Singapore.
Challenging race for the Ferrari drivers
After the qualifying incident, both Ferrari drivers were expected to stage a strong comeback from mid-field on a circuit loved by both. However, for all 51 laps, their race never ignited, leaving them stuck in a train with Liam Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lando Norris. Last year’s strong performances now seem like a distant memory.
Confirmed power unit problems
Immediately after the race, both Charles Leclerc and team principal Frédéric Vasseur revealed that various issues occurred with the Ferrari power unit during the race, which contributed to the slowdown. These problems were reported to Maranello and analyzed at the factory, confirming the findings.
Charles Leclerc’s car, number 16, suffered a loss of approximately 2 kW, equivalent to roughly 3 km/h slower than the competition, making the car extremely vulnerable to attacks. Ferrari now faces the urgent task of investigating and resolving these reliability issues. If unresolved, a replacement could result in a 10-place grid penalty for the Singapore Grand Prix.
Singapore presents additional challenges
Adding to the difficulty for the Monegasque driver is the layout of the Singapore circuit. As a narrow street track, overtaking is much more challenging than in Baku, despite multiple DRS zones. This means Leclerc could face a weekend that starts on the wrong foot, making a strong performance in Singapore even more crucial.
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