Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has underscored the necessity of delivering flawless weekends after a string of disappointing outcomes in recent Grands Prix. Since clinching victory at the British Grand Prix in early July – their second win in just three races – the Scuderia’s momentum in both the Drivers' and Constructors' championships has noticeably waned. Charles Leclerc’s second‑place finish in Belgium, recorded just before the summer hiatus, stands as the sole podium for Ferrari across the last five events. Despite the SF‑26 continuing to show competitive speed at various points during a race weekend – a fact highlighted most recently in Madrid, where Lewis Hamilton posted a provisional pole position after the opening laps of Q3 only to start the race from fourth on the grid – the team has struggled to translate that raw pace into consistent results.
As the championship now moves to the narrow, wall‑flanked streets of Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where driver confidence and error‑free execution are paramount, Vasseur insists that Ferrari must bring their A‑game. "The past few rounds have proven that the car is capable of delivering a strong level of performance, but they have also shown how critical it is to piece together every element of the weekend," Vasseur explained.
"Baku presents a very particular challenge, where belief in the machinery and flawless execution become especially vital. The circuit can throw a multitude of variables at you, so we have to stay focused on our own work, adapt to whatever circumstances arise, and seize every opportunity that presents itself." Ferrari's recent scarcity of podium finishes has pushed the prospect of ending an 18‑year world championship drought further out of reach this season. Lead driver Charles Leclerc now trails the championship leader by more than 100 points after a retirement in Madrid caused by brake failure, while the Scuderia sits 145 points behind Mercedes in the Constructors' standings. McLaren, currently third in the championship, have outscored Ferrari in each of the last four rounds and have narrowed the gap to just 52 points with nine races remaining.
During an appearance on The F1 Show podcast, former world champion and Sky Sports F1 analyst Nico Rosberg offered a blunt assessment of Ferrari's situation. He noted that the team is consistently "very close" to the front‑running pace but repeatedly falters in the execution of race weekends. "Isn't it the case that Ferrari always have messy weekends?" Rosberg asked rhetorically.
"Their Achilles' heel remains in strategy and communication – areas that have historically been weak and continue to be a problem today." Rosberg pointed out that the car's speed is "damn close" to challenging for race victories. He cited the Madrid Grand Prix as an example, where Hamilton, had he not suffered a brake issue, would likely have finished second behind Max Verstappen, who was instructed to let him pass, and would have comfortably beaten Leclerc. "They're very close," Rosberg said.
"They're just not putting it together properly, and they need to make progress in those weak spots. That's the main problem they're facing." Looking ahead to the Azerbaijan weekend, the schedule is packed with multiple sessions across Formula 2 and Formula 1.
On Wednesday, September 23, the drivers' press conference will begin at 11:00 am, followed by the paddock uncuts at 2:00 pm. Thursday sees the start of F2 practice at 6:55 am, the first Azerbaijan GP practice at 9:30 am, and the team bosses' press conference at noon, before the second practice session kicks off at 1:00 pm. The F1 Show will air at 2:15 pm. Friday's agenda includes the F2 sprint at 5:10 am, the third practice session for the Grand Prix at 9:30 am, and the F2 feature race at 11:10 am.
Qualifying for the Azerbaijan GP is slated for 1:00 pm, with Ted's Qualifying Notebook following at 3:00 pm. Saturday, September 26, will feature the second F2 feature race at 7:55 am, the build‑up to the Grand Prix at 10:30 am, and the main event – the Azerbaijan Grand Prix – starting at 12:00 pm.
Post‑race analysis, including the chequered‑flag reaction and Ted's Notebook, will continue throughout the afternoon. All sessions will also be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event, and fans can stream the coverage via NOW without a long‑term contract, with the option to cancel at any time.
As the Scuderia prepares for the high‑speed, high‑risk environment of Baku, the emphasis will be on eliminating strategic blunders, sharpening communication between pit wall and drivers, and extracting the maximum performance from the SF‑26. Only by mastering these elements can Ferrari hope to convert their near‑misses into victories and keep alive the dream of ending their long title drought.