Charles Leclerc believes there is still more to extract from the SF-25 after an excellent Friday at the Baku Grand Prix. However, in his view, McLaren is far too strong, making it unlikely that Ferrari can seriously challenge the papaya-colored cars in Azerbaijan.
Ferrari posts an encouraging Friday in Baku
Ferrari delivered a highly encouraging Friday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. During the second free practice session, the SF-25s pulled away, setting times more than four tenths faster than Mercedes, while the McLarens were barely inside the Top 10.
This was a scenario that few would have predicted just hours earlier, but Ferrari started the weekend on the right foot thanks to productive FP1 sessions and a setup already oriented toward optimizing performance for tomorrow’s qualifying and Sunday’s race.
Both Hamilton and Leclerc’s Ferraris showed strong pace, not only over a single lap but also over longer runs. This is a clear sign that the Maranello team has prepared the cars well for one of the most favorable circuits on the 2025 calendar.
Charles Leclerc satisfied but aware of limits
At the end of the day, Leclerc expressed satisfaction with the work done. He was very fast and knows he can extract even more from the car. On his single-lap runs today, minor mistakes relegated him to second place. While there is room for improvement, there is also a concerning factor — one that worries both Ferrari and the rest of the field.
The McLaren challenge
That factor is McLaren. In the afternoon, the MCL39s failed to complete clean laps due to errors by Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, yet in the sectors they did complete, the impression was that McLaren is virtually untouchable, even on Azerbaijani soil.
Leclerc commented, “Today went well. I think there is a lot more potential to unlock, especially from my side. I did a good job today, and overall, we look quite strong, so that’s positive.”
“But — and this is a big but — McLaren seems literally on another planet. I think people will be very surprised tomorrow because Lando didn’t complete some really impressive laps. So I doubt we can compete with them. Compared to the rest, though, we seem to be in a good position.”
Outlook for the race
If things remain as they are, Leclerc believes Ferrari will not have a realistic chance to fight for victory. However, he is a driver who never gives up, as shown in previous years when he secured pole positions despite being an underdog. He expects a similar challenge this weekend, starting from a position that does not favor Ferrari.
“I don’t think there will be a battle for the win, at least for now. But never say never. In 2021, during several qualifying sessions here in Baku, it seemed impossible to achieve a strong result. In the end, we did. So I will continue to hope, but it seems unlikely,” Leclerc concluded.
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