Vasseur: I’m sure we can deliver a strong result in Baku

Vasseur, quoted in the Ferrari preview of round 17 of the 2025 World Championship: “Baku is always an interesting weekend, with its combination of long straights and a very technical middle sector.

"It tends to produce unpredictable races and opportunities, so it is important that we execute everything to perfection. We will focus on ourselves to extract the maximum from the package we have.”

Ferrari arrive in Baku second in the 2025 F1 Constructors’ Championship, well adrift of McLaren who are heading towards back-to-back titles. Mercedes are only 20 points behind in third, making this a pivotal weekend for Maranello’s campaign.

Vasseur underlined how crucial preparation is for a street circuit where mistakes are punished. “The team has been working hard on how we prepare for the event and our operation over the whole weekend, knowing that on a street circuit these elements can make a real difference. Get this right and I’m sure we can deliver a strong result with both drivers.”

The Baku City Circuit is one of Formula 1’s most demanding street tracks. At 6.003 kilometres it combines sweeping straights with tight, twisting corners that weave through the historic old town. The two-kilometre blast down the main straight regularly produces the decisive moments of the race, while the medieval citadel section is so narrow it barely allows one car through.

Set-up in Azerbaijan is always a compromise: cars need downforce to survive the technical first and second sectors, but too much drag risks losing out in the flat-out final section. The track surface, worn by daily city traffic, often provides less grip than permanent circuits and can trigger tyre graining.

Pirelli has nominated its softest compounds for the weekend, with C4 as Hard, C5 as Medium, and C6 as Soft. The race usually unfolds as a one-stop, with most drivers starting on Medium and switching to Hard. However, Safety Cars are a regular feature, appearing in ten of the eight races held so far, covering nearly 10% of all laps. That makes late-race switches to Soft tyres a real possibility.

The weather is rarely decisive in Baku, though gusty winds off the Caspian Sea can unsettle cars and drivers alike. Ferrari’s challenge will be to balance aggression with control, extracting maximum points without falling victim to the chaos that has become a hallmark of this Grand Prix.