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Charles Leclerc’s Baku Weekend Got Even Worse After the Checkered Flag

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Samriddhi Jaiswal | Last updated Sep 23, 2025 9:40 AM ET

Charles Leclerc thought his F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix struggles were over once the checkered flag waved. Instead, his weekend took an unexpected turn when he and former Ferrari teammate Carlos Sainz were forced into an adventure.

After celebrating his first podium with Williams with a strong third place finish, Sainz had to take a road trip after severe storms in Nice diverted his flight — shared with Charles Leclerc — to Italy.

Charles Leclerc Shares the Unexpected Detour

Leclerc documented the ordeal on social media, joking that his tough weekend had somehow managed to get worse. “So, after a difficult weekend in Baku, I thought it couldn’t get any worse,” he said before showing Sainz at the wheel. “We are driving a van! In the middle of Italy.”

CHARLES' TIKTOK WITH CARLOS NOT THE JET2 HOLIDAY AUDIO pic.twitter.com/UBAiybvFaX
— clara (@leclercsletters) September 23, 2025

While Sainz was celebrating his breakthrough with Williams, Leclerc left Azerbaijan frustrated. A crash in qualifying left him on the back foot, and despite battling through to ninth, he admitted he hadn’t done a good enough job. “I’ve got to take responsibility for qualifying… it wasn’t a great Sunday for us,” he told Sky Sports F1.

The road trip summed up the contrasting fortunes of the two former Ferrari teammates — Sainz savoring his best result of the season, while Leclerc was left reflecting on a rare misstep on and off the track.

What’s Next for Charles Leclerc and Ferrari?

Ferrari’s struggles didn’t end at the checkered flag. Late in the race, Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton were instructed to swap positions, but the move never happened. Leclerc voiced his frustration on the radio: “I don’t really care, it’s for an eighth place, so it’s okay. He can enjoy that P8. It’s just stupid because it’s not fair, but again, I don’t mind, honestly.”

Charles Leclerc’s post-race radio message: “I don't really care, it's for an eight place, so it's okay. He can enjoy that P8. It's just stupid because it's not fair, but again, I don't mind, honestly.”#F1 #AzerbaijanGP

pic.twitter.com/H2aLo5oU1K
— deni (@fiagirly) September 23, 2025

As Ferrari looks ahead to Singapore and the remainder of the 2025 season, questions remain over whether the team can consistently deliver a car strong enough for Leclerc to fight at the front. For now, the Monegasque will be wager to put Baku behind him and refocus on turning his promising season back into a title-challenging campaign.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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