Ferrari team principal Frederic Vasseur has emphasized that the Scuderia must tighten up its weekend execution after a string of disappointing results in recent Grands Prix. Since clinching victory at the British Grand Prix in early July – the second win in three races – the Italian outfit’s momentum in both the drivers' and constructors' championships has noticeably waned.
Charles Leclerc’s second‑place finish in Belgium, achieved just before the summer hiatus, remains the sole podium for Ferrari across the last five rounds. The performance of the SF‑26 suggests that the car still possesses a competitive edge at various points during a race weekend. A recent example came in Madrid, where Lewis Hamilton briefly topped the provisional Q3 leaderboard before ultimately starting fourth on the grid. Yet the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the narrow, wall‑lined streets of Baku presents a different set of challenges, where driver confidence and flawless execution are essential and any mistake can be severely punished.
"Our recent outings have shown that the car can produce a strong level of pace, but they have also underlined how crucial it is to stitch together every element of the weekend," Vasseur told reporters. "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 scarcity of podium finishes has pushed the prospect of ending an 18‑year world‑title drought further out of reach this season.
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' standings. McLaren, occupying third place, have outscored the Scuderia 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, Sky Sports F1 analyst and former world champion Nico Rosberg observed that Ferrari are consistently "very close" to the front‑running pace but continue to falter in the execution of race weekends.
"Isn't it the case that Ferrari always have messy weekends?" Rosberg asked. "Their Achilles' heel remains strategy and communication – areas that have historically been weak and still are today. The car's speed is almost there – it's damn close to being able to challenge for consistent race wins.
Even in Madrid, Lewis would have comfortably finished second after Max Verstappen let him through. He would have easily taken second place behind Kimi. They're very close. They're just not putting it together properly, and they really need to make progress on that.
That's the main problem they're facing." Looking ahead, the schedule for the Azerbaijan weekend is packed. On Wednesday, September 23, the drivers' press conference will kick off the proceedings at 11 am, followed by the paddock uncut at 2 pm. Thursday sees a full day of action, beginning with the F2 practice session at 6:55 am, then the Azerbaijan GP practice one at 9:30 am, F2 qualifying at 10:55 am, and the team bosses' press conference at noon. Practice two starts at 1 pm, and the F1 Show airs at 2:15 pm.
Friday, September 25, begins with the F2 sprint at 5:10 am, followed by practice three for the Grand Prix at 9:30 am. The F2 feature race runs at 11:10 am, after which the qualifying build‑up for the Azerbaijan GP starts at 12:30 pm, leading into the official qualifying session at 1 pm. Later in the afternoon, Ted’s Qualifying Notebook provides analysis at 3 pm.
Saturday, September 26, will host the second F2 feature race at 7:55 am, then the Grand Prix build‑up at 10:30 am. The main event, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, begins at noon, with the chequered flag ceremony and post‑race reaction scheduled for 2 pm, followed by Ted’s Notebook at 3 pm. All live coverage will also be available on Sky Sports Main Event. The 2026 Formula 1 season continues to be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix forming the centerpiece of a triple‑header weekend.
Viewers can stream the action via NOW, with a flexible, no‑contract subscription that can be cancelled at any time. As the Scuderia heads into Baku, the pressure is on Vasseur and his engineers to turn the car’s evident speed into consistent results, eliminate strategic missteps, and finally convert the near‑misses into victories that could revive Ferrari’s long‑awaited quest for a world championship.