Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has underscored the necessity of delivering flawless weekends after a string of costly outcomes in recent events. Since clinching the British Grand Prix at the beginning of July – their second victory in just three races – the Scuderia’s momentum in both the drivers' and constructors' championships has visibly waned.
Charles Leclerc’s runner‑up finish in Belgium, achieved just before the summer hiatus, stands as the sole podium for Ferrari across the last five rounds. Despite the SF‑26 continuing to show genuine speed at various points during a race weekend – most recently in Madrid, where Lewis Hamilton posted a provisional pole position in the early phase of Q3 only to be relegated to fourth on the starting grid – the team has struggled to translate that raw pace into consistent results. As the calendar now points to the narrow, wall‑lined streets of Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where driver confidence is vital and any mistake is swiftly punished, Vasseur insists that Ferrari must operate at peak efficiency.
"The past few races have proven that our car possesses a solid level of competitiveness," Vasseur said, "but they have also highlighted how crucial it is to stitch together every element of the weekend. Baku presents a very specific challenge, where belief in the machinery and flawless execution become especially important. It is also a circuit that can throw a multitude of variables at us, so we need to stay focused on ourselves, adapt to whatever situations arise, and make the most of every opportunity." Ferrari's recent podium drought has pushed the team's aspirations of ending an 18‑year world‑title hiatus further out of reach.
Lead scorer Lewis Hamilton fell more than 100 points behind Kimi Antonelli for the first time after retiring in Madrid with brake issues, while the Scuderia now trails Mercedes by 145 points in the constructors' standings. Meanwhile, third‑placed McLaren have outscored Ferrari in each of the last four rounds, narrowing the gap to just 52 points with nine races remaining. On the F1 Show podcast, Sky Sports analyst and former champion Nico Rosberg described Ferrari as consistently "very close" to the leading pace but repeatedly hampered by poor weekend execution.
"Isn't it the case that Ferrari always have messy weekends?" he asked. "Their Achilles' heel remains strategy and communication – long‑standing weaknesses that still plague them. The car's speed is almost there – it’s damn close to challenging for race wins. In Madrid, for instance, Lewis would have comfortably finished second if Max Verstappen had let him through, and he would have easily beaten Kimi for the podium.
They are tantalisingly close, yet they fail to piece it all together. That is the core issue they must address." Looking ahead, the schedule for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend is packed.
Wednesday, September 23, features a drivers' press conference at 11 am followed by a paddock‑uncut session at 2 pm. Thursday, September 24, starts with an F2 practice at 6:55 am, then the Azerbaijan GP practice one at 9:30 am, F2 qualifying at 10:55 am, a team bosses' press conference at noon, practice two at 1 pm, and the F1 Show at 2:15 pm. Friday, September 25, includes the F2 sprint at 5:10 am, practice three at 9:30 am, the F2 feature race at 11:10 am, qualifying build‑up at 12:30 pm, and the official qualifying session at 1 pm, followed by Ted's Qualifying Notebook at 3 pm.
Saturday, September 26, sees the F2 feature race at 7:55 am, the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix itself at noon, the chequered‑flag reaction at 2 pm, and Ted's Notebook at 3 pm. All sessions are also streamed live on Sky Sports Main Event.
The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix kicking off a triple‑header of races. Viewers can stream Sky Sports via NOW without a long‑term contract and cancel at any time. As Ferrari heads into Baku, the emphasis will be on eliminating strategic blunders, sharpening communication, and harnessing the evident speed of the SF‑26 to finally convert that potential into podium finishes and, ultimately, a shot at ending the long‑standing title drought.