Sebastian Vettel has followed the advice of an Italian newspaper ahead of the grand prix in Baku.

Amid intense criticism of his start to the 2019 season alongside the exciting newcomer Charles Leclerc, La Stampa said of Vettel after China: "He should shave his moustache".

Some thought Vettel's moustache was a tribute to Nigel Mansell, but it was actually a nod to the Ferrari driver's own father Norbert.

Either way, it has been shaved off for the trip to Azerbaijan.

After China, Ferrari had been criticised for ordering Leclerc aside for Vettel, only for the German driver to not prove any faster.

"It wasn't easy for us to make such a decision," team boss Mattia Binotto said.

"But I'm pretty sure the problem will go away if we have the fastest car," he added.

To that end, Binotto announced that Ferrari has prepared "a few updates" for Baku, which represent "the first step in the development" of the 2019 car.

"We have prepared for this grand prix very well, analysing all the data we have acquired up until now.

"Coming off the back of three races that definitely didn't go the way we wanted, this is another important moment for us," Binotto said.