The plan that didn't come off
Ferrari attempted a late-race switch in Baku: Charles Leclerc moved aside to allow Lewis Hamilton, on fresher tyres, to chase down a train led by Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson and featuring Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris. The push never materialised, and on the final lap Hamilton was instructed to hand eighth place back.
The missed swap and apology
Hamilton said he lifted too late on the run to the line while still eyeing a tiny opening on Norris — a 0.001 per cent chance, in his words. He crossed the finish just ahead of Leclerc and later apologised to his team-mate for not completing the swap in time.
Leclerc's view: little interest in P8 vs P9, but principles matter
Leclerc downplayed the result difference — eighth or ninth — and pointed instead to Ferrari's lack of pace over the weekend. He added that customary rules around position swaps should be respected, and that he hopes the team will handle such situations differently when fighting for 'sexier positions' higher up the order.
Takeaway
Ferrari's execution miscue cost Leclerc a place on paper, but the bigger question for Maranello is performance. On a day decided by fine margins in a DRS train, the headline for the Scuderia was not the swap, but the speed deficit that left both cars on the defensive.
