Ferrari F1 star forced to relive 'stupid' moment

Leclerc, Hamilton, socials — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Social

F1 star forced to relive 'stupid' Ferrari moment

Charles Leclerc made a costly error at the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kevin McKenna

Thursday 14 August 2025 22:57

F1 star Charles Leclerc has been forced to relive a 'stupid' moment from his debut season at Ferrari.

Much was expected of the Monegasque having been given the opportunity at the Italian giants in 2019 following an impressive maiden campaign on the grid with the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 outfit.

He made a solid start to life at the Scuderia, finishing in the top five in each of his first three outings, before rocking up to Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Article continues under video

Having posted the fastest time in Q1, Leclerc was well in contention to secure his first ever pole, but a disastrous lock-up at turn 8 of the narrow street circuit saw him crash out.

He immediately took full responsibility on team radio, saying: "I am stupid, I am stupid. I switch off everything," in a refreshingly honest admission which has now become one of his trademark iconic catchphrases.

It seems Leclerc can't escape the moment however, as the now 27-year-old was reminded of that miserable afternoon during the latest episode of F1's Grill the Grid, as he tried - unsuccessfully, for the most part - to identify some tracks from a set of pictures, with Baku one of those to feature.

Charles Leclerc is chasing his first victory of the 2025 F1 season

Leclerc's Ferrari frustrations mount

Leclerc did manage to shrug off the disappointment of that day over the remainder of the 2019 season, going on to win twice and finish fourth in the world championship.

He has since gone on to forge a reputation as one of the fastest drivers in F1, but his talent has yet to be backed up with a title-winning car, with a runner-up spot in 2022 the closest he has come.

And he will have to wait a little longer if he is to realise his dream of becoming a world champion, with the 27-year-old down in fifth spot in 2025 with 10 races of the campaign remaining.

Both he and team-mate Lewis Hamilton have struggled to find any sort of consistency, with McLaren - and Mercedes at times - far quicker throughout the year.

Leclerc has finished on the podium on four occasions, but a race win eludes him, while Hamilton has yet to make an appearance in the top three of any grand prix in his maiden campaign in red.

First up after the summer break is the Dutch GP in Zandvoort, before attention turns to the team's home race in Monza, where Leclerc pulled off a stunning win last time out that he will desperately be hoping to replicate.

F1 HEADLINES: Christian Horner faces fresh criticism as FIA expose ‘secretive’ teams approach