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FIA press conference host Tom Clarkson claims Ferrari was under a lot of pressure heading into the 2023 F1 Azerbaijan GP. The team started the season poorly but has now shown signs of improvement with Charles Leclerc taking his first podium of the year.
Leclerc was in flying form in Baku, especially in terms of qualifying pace. The Monegasque driver took pole position in both the sprint shootout and the main GP qualifying in Azerbaijan, before later taking P3 in the main race.
Ferrari failed to impress in the first three races of the year, having scored low points in the early stages of the season.
However, with Charles Leclerc's podium finish in Baku, the team has been given a new chance to make their way back up through the pecking order. Speaking about the situation at Ferrari, Tom Clarkson said on the F1 Nation podcast:
"It really has been a horrid start to the season for them. It was tin hats on coming into this weekend for the senior management with all the talk of Laurent Mekies - Racing Director - off to AlphaTauri at the end of the year. Charles Leclerc being talked about going to Mercedes."
Ferrari reportedly trying to poach key Red Bull engineer for 2024
According to reports, Ferrari is considering hiring Enrico Balbo, the current head of aerodynamics at Red Bull, for the 2024 season.
Balbo has been an essential part of Red Bull's engineering success since January 2018, working closely with Adrian Newey. In July 2021, he was promoted to head of aerodynamics to reduce Newey's workload after an accident. Balbo currently holds the position of the no.3 engineer at Red Bull, following Newey and Technical Director Pierre Wache.
As per Corriere dello Sport, journalist Fulvio Solm spoke about Scuderia's next head of aerodynamics:
"One could be Enrico Balbo, head of aerodynamics at Milton Keynes and, therefore, a good guy, who when you have him, can make all the difference."
Under Balbo's leadership, Red Bull managed to win two consecutive drivers' titles and one constructors' title. With the Maranello-based team down in the dumps this year, it will be advantageous for the team to try and secure Balbo's services for next year.
Furthermore, the Italian's departure from Red Bull might hinder their progress next year, making it easier for rival teams to catch up. It will be interesting to see the engineering transfer market in time to come.
