F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying: Ferrari disaster as Charles Leclerc crashes and Lewis Hamilton is out in Q2. Ferrari’s Azerbaijan GP qualifying turned into another disaster.

Ferrari, another disaster: Leclerc in the wall (10th), Hamilton out in Q2

It was a Saturday to forget in Baku for Ferrari, as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session brought nothing but disappointment for the Maranello squad. After showing promising speed in free practice, including a one-two finish in FP2, Ferrari’s hopes collapsed when it really mattered. Charles Leclerc will only start tenth on the grid, while Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q2 and will begin from twelfth place.

The Monegasque driver saw his bid for pole position end in disaster when he crashed into the barriers at Turn 15 during Q3, shortly after narrowly escaping elimination in Q2. Meanwhile, Hamilton failed to make the cut, suffering his fifth Q2 exit of the season and once again missing out on a place in the top ten.

For the Scuderia, it signals yet another uphill battle for the race on a track that, in theory, should have hidden some of the weaknesses of the SF-25. Adding to the frustration, Leclerc came into Baku with four consecutive pole positions at this circuit, making the outcome even harder to swallow.

This disappointing Saturday also has serious implications for the Constructors’ Championship. McLaren, Ferrari’s closest rival, now has a golden opportunity to extend its advantage. In Baku, the Woking-based team needs to outscore Ferrari by nine points to strengthen its position, while also fending off challenges from Mercedes and Red Bull as it pushes for a second consecutive Constructors’ title.