Leclerc’s Baku Magic & Hamilton’s Podium Hunt: Can Ferrari Make It Stick in Azerbaijan?

Scuderia Ferrari F1 2016. Courtesy of Shutterstock

Whenever the Azerbaijan Grand Prix rolls around, Charles Leclerc tends to steal the spotlight — especially come Saturday qualifying. For the past several years he’s shown a remarkable knack for squeezing every last millisecond out of the Ferrari when the pressure is highest. He’s managed four consecutive pole positions at Baku — that alone is enough to build myth around a driver’s relationship with a track.

What’s fascinating is how Leclerc does this. The long straightaways of Baku reward outright speed, but it’s the tight, twisty sections — the castle sector, the street corners — where he seems most comfortable. The data from 2024 shows he pulled clear margins over rivals like Oscar Piastri in sectors that emphasized slower speed, corner exit, precision. He may not always lead the race deep into Sunday, but in qualifying, Leclerc has somehow made Baku look like his playground.

Now, let’s talk Lewis Hamilton. This is his first season with Ferrari, having moved over from Mercedes.  The big talking point heading into Baku is: can he break what has so far been a frustrating drought of podiums in 2025?  He’s regularly been competitive, but not quite enough to challenge the very front, and strategy, pace over a full race distance, traffic, timing of pit-stops — all those little things have conspired or perhaps Ferrari hasn’t nailed them yet.

Given Baku’s history of being chaotic — safety cars, red flags, mistakes — Hamilton has as good a shot as almost anyone outside the current dominant cars to pick up something big. If qualifying goes reasonably well, if Ferrari gets strategy right, and if he can keep clear of incidents (especially in the narrow sections), a podium is not beyond reach. The optics would be excellent too: Hamilton finally back on the rostrum with Ferrari, in a race where his teammate traditionally looks strong.

That said, it’s far from a sure thing. Leclerc’s qualifying record at Baku raises the bar — Ferrari has to bring their best. If Leclerc locks out the front row again, Hamilton has to be able to fend off challengers through the race, perhaps leverage strategy. And if Ferrari have any weak link between qualifying and race pace, Hamilton may find himself chasing rather than leading.

In short: Leclerc’s dominance in qualifying at Baku is real and well-earned. Hamilton arriving in 2025 with Ferrari gives him both a fresh start and plenty of pressure. But Baku might just be the place where “could’ve been” becomes “did it.” If everything lines up — car performance, strategy, and driver execution — Hamilton’s first podium of 2025 could happen there.

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