Leclerc keeps Ferrari engine penalty plans under wraps for Azerbaijan GP

Charles Leclerc has refused to confirm whether he will take an engine penalty at this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix, keeping Ferrari's strategy under wraps. His Monza power unit, damaged in his Italian GP crash, is back in the pool.

Why it matters:

With Ferrari's 2026 car showing significant performance variability depending on power unit optimisation, managing the engine pool is crucial. A Baku penalty could be less costly than elsewhere, but it would still compromise Leclerc's hopes of finally converting strong qualifying form into a race win.

The details:

• Leclerc crashed heavily at Parabolica on lap two at Monza. His brand-new power unit, Ferrari's second upgrade under the FIA's ADUO scheme, missed the Spanish GP after checks.
• Fred Vasseur told Canal+ that Baku should be 'quite suitable' for a penalty, but Leclerc remained tight-lipped: 'I won't go into detail on what engine we will use; it's strategic for us.'
• He confirmed the Monza engine is now available: 'It's definitely back in the pool of engines we can use.'
• Leclerc has taken pole in Baku three times but never won. This season, he says, qualifying is where Ferrari struggles most.

What's next:

Leclerc will chase a fourth Baku pole on Friday, but whether he starts from the front or the back remains uncertain. Ferrari is expected to decide after practice, with Baku's long straights offering overtaking chances to limit the damage.