Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has warned that the Scuderia must tighten up its weekend execution after a series of disappointing results in recent Grands Prix. The Italian outfit, which celebrated a victory at the British Grand Prix in early July – their second win in three races – has seen its championship hopes dwindle. Since that triumph, the only podium finish for the team has been Charles Leclerc’s second place in Belgium, leaving Ferrari with just one points‑scoring finish in the last five rounds.
The SF‑26 chassis still appears capable of delivering strong performance at various points during a race weekend. A recent example came at the Spanish Grand Prix in Madrid, where Lewis Hamilton posted a provisional pole position after the early runs of Q3, only to be relegated to fourth on the final grid. That episode underlines the car’s underlying speed, but also the difficulty Ferrari has in converting that speed into consistent top‑tier results.
Now the team travels to the narrow, wall‑lined streets of Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a circuit where driver confidence and flawless execution are essential and any mistake is swiftly punished. Vasseur stressed that Ferrari must bring their best to the challenge. "The last few races have shown that the car can be competitive, but they have also highlighted how crucial it is to get every part of the weekend right," Vasseur said. "Baku is a very specific challenge, where confidence in the car and execution are particularly important.
It is also a circuit where the weekend can throw up several variables, so we need to stay focused on ourselves, adapt to whatever situations arise and make the most of every opportunity." Ferrari’s recent scarcity of podiums has made the prospect of ending an 18‑year world‑title drought seem increasingly remote. After Hamilton’s retirement in Madrid due to brake failure, he fell more than 100 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli for the first time, while Ferrari now trail Mercedes by 145 points in the Constructors' Championship. McLaren, currently third, have outscored Ferrari in each of the last four rounds and have closed the gap to just 52 points with nine races remaining. On the popular "The F1 Show" podcast, former world champion Nico Rosberg echoed the sentiment that Ferrari is consistently "very close" to the leading pace but is hampered by poor weekend execution.
"Isn't it the case that Ferrari always have messy weekends?" Rosberg asked. He identified strategy and communication as the team's Achilles' heel, noting that these weaknesses have persisted for years.
"Because the pace of the car is close – it's damn close to being able to challenge consistency for race wins," he explained. Rosberg illustrated his point with the recent Spanish race, pointing out that Hamilton would likely have finished second had he not been forced to retire. "Lewis would have been comfortably second after Max let him through.
He would have definitely finished second behind Kimi quite easily," Rosberg said. "They're very close. They're just not putting it together properly.
And they really need to somehow make progress on that. That's the main problem they're facing." The upcoming Baku weekend is packed with sessions.
On Wednesday, September 23, the drivers will hold a press conference at 11 a.m., followed by the Paddock Uncut at 2 p.m. Thursday sees F2 practice at 6:55 a.m., the first Azerbaijan GP practice at 9 a.m., and the team bosses' press conference at noon.
Qualifying will take place on Friday, with the final sprint and feature races for F2, and the crucial F1 qualifying session slated for 1 p.m. Saturday will host the F2 Feature Race 2 and the Grand Prix itself, which will start around midday. Sunday’s schedule includes the race build‑up, the main event, and post‑race analysis.
For fans, the 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forming part of a triple‑header weekend. Viewers can stream the coverage via NOW, which offers a contract‑free option that can be cancelled at any time. The Baku race, with its high‑speed straights and tight corners, promises a dramatic test for Ferrari. If Vasseur and his engineers can iron out the strategic and communicative flaws highlighted by Rosberg, the Scuderia may yet turn its competitive pace into podium finishes and keep its title aspirations alive as the season progresses.