Charles Leclerc believes Ferrari has “plenty to improve” after a topsy-turvy opening day of practice at the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Leclerc’s day got off to a less-than-ideal start in FP1 when he found the Turn 15 barriers, resigning him to ninth on the timesheet once the session concluded.
“I braked a little bit too much on the right, the track was still dirty, I locked up and it was too late to go to the right [run-off] – so I went into the wall,” he explained.
“That wasn’t great to start the weekend, but I still had a lot of confidence in the car, so there wasn’t much problem.”
FP2 didn’t begin much better for Leclerc and Ferrari, with the Monegasque driver complaining the car was undrivable.
A stint in the pits to replace a part saw Leclerc emerge from the Ferrari garage with renewed confidence and a late qualifying simulation on a rubbered-in track saw him top the session by 0.006s.
“[The problem] was nothing to do with the crash before, so the mechanics have done a really good job,” Leclerc explained.
“We just had a problem with one new part that we had just put on the car. I won’t go too much into details but that was obviously giving me a very strange feeling with the steering wheel.
“We changed that, went again and then it was fine. It was not as many laps as what I would have hoped for on this Friday, but competitive anyway.”
Leclerc and Ferrari have always gone well at Baku and topping FP2 will give him cause for optimism.
However, Leclerc acknowledged varying engine modes cloud the pecking order picture and “we’ve been pretty quick in the past, but that doesn’t mean it will be the case for tomorrow.
“We still have to work on the car, there’s plenty to do to improve.
“There’s the driving to be improved quite a bit, because I was still taking a little bit my references in FP2, but again, we are fast, so that’s a good sign. Hopefully just more to come tomorrow.”
Sainz, Leclerc and Ferrari will be in the mix at Baku
Carlos Sainz had a more measured day for Ferrari at Baku, avoiding major incidents and finishing fifth and fourth in FP1 and FP2 respectively.
The Spaniard had to contend with brake issues in FP1, which Ferrari rectified, allowing Sainz to complete a full run-plan.
Still, with dust, dirt and wind wreaking havoc on the Baku street circuit, Sainz acknowledged driving conditions were tough for everyone.
“Today the track was so tricky to drive, so dirty, so slippery,” Sainz explained. “Five seconds slower than last year gives you the data of how we were struggling out there.”
In addition, after admittedly sleeping badly on Thursday night, Sainz was contending with neck pain throughout practice.
Still, Sainz feels that both he and Leclerc will be in contention for the remainder of the Azerbaijan GP weekend, but believes it will be tight at the front once again.
“I think tomorrow when everyone starts putting softs on in Q1, Q2, Q3 we will see where everyone stands,” Sainz explained.
“We were confident we were on the pace together with the Red Bulls, the McLarens and the Mercedes this weekend.
“I think it’s going to be extremely tight and it’s going to be about tyre preparation, putting the lap together, being at the right time at the right place on track before the yellow and red flags and hopefully we’re on the right side of things.”
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