F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying drama: Charles Leclerc crashes out in Baku Q3 (video). Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc crashes into the barriers in Q3 of Azerbaijan GP qualifying.

Charles Leclerc crashes out in Q3 at the Azerbaijan GP

The drama of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix reached new heights when Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc crashed out with just seven minutes remaining in Q3. It was another bitter blow for the Scuderia, coming shortly after Lewis Hamilton’s surprising elimination in Q2.

Leclerc, who was beginning his first flying lap in the decisive pole position shootout, pushed hard but locked up under braking at the tricky Turn 15. The Ferrari SF-25 went straight on and slammed into the barriers, ending his qualifying session on the spot. The Monegasque driver immediately climbed out of the car, visibly furious, throwing his gloves to the ground in frustration.

The incident brought out the fifth red flag of an already chaotic and interruption-filled qualifying hour in Baku, underlining just how unpredictable the session had become.

Sky Sports F1 pundit Karun Chandhok analyzed the crash, noting that the Ferrari man simply carried too much speed into the corner: “He was just too fast in there, without enough grip for the speed he tried to hold. The front end understeered straight on, he locked up, and there was simply no way to save it.”

For Ferrari, the crash meant a sudden end to what had been a promising qualifying build-up. With Charles Leclerc out of contention for pole position, the team’s hopes now rest on regrouping and repairing the damage ahead of the race on Sunday.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying has once again lived up to its reputation for chaos, and with so many red flags and high-profile incidents, it sets the stage for an unpredictable and action-packed race day in Baku.