Il Formula 1 World Championship stops in Azerbaijan for the 17th race (out of 24) of the season. After the victory in Monza, Charles Leclerc will start from pole. For the Ferrari driver, it is the fourth consecutive pole position start in Baku.
Leclerc: “Pole fantastica”
“The accident in the first free practice sessions didn’t demoralize me, I was confident about the pace of the car and I’m happy to have obtained a fantastic pole position”. These are the words of Charles LeclercFerrari driver interviewed immediately after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, following the pole position he took at the end of the session on the Baku circuit. “This is one of my favourite tracks on the whole calendar,” Leclerc began. “The accident in the first free practice didn’t make me lose confidence because I knew we had the right pace, but I lost a bit of work that you definitely can’t recover. In qualifying, in Q3, we had to try to stay away from the walls and in the last attempt the lap time came naturally, it’s fantastic to be on pole,” he underlined. “This is the best result we could hope for, both Sainz and I will be on the clean side of the track and that’s definitely great. I hope we can get the win, we reset after Monza and we’re just thinking about tomorrow. We’ll be ready.”
Sainz on the second row, Verstappen sixth
Leclerc will have McLaren alongside him on the front row Plates. In the second row the other Ferrari of Carlos Sainz and Perez’s Red Bull. Fifth fastest time for Russell’s Mercedes, who preceded Perez’s Red Bull Verstappencompleting the top 10 are Hamilton, Alonso, Colapinto and Albon.
Leclerc in pole a Baku
Charles Leclerc on pole in Baku for the fourth consecutive year. The Monegasque Ferrari driver was the fastest, finishing in 1’41”365.
Last attempt
The drivers return to the track, the pole is decided. Last attempt
Leclerc the fastest
Leclerc is the fastest after the first attempt: 1’41”610. Behind the Monegasque is the other Ferrari of Sainz. Third Piastri, then Russell, Perez, Verstappen, Hamilton, Albon, Colapinto and Alonso.
Q3 underway, pole chase on
Q3 begins, drivers on track
Verstappen fastest in Q2
Max Verstappen was the fastest in Q2. The Red Bull world champion lapped in 1’42”042, behind him Leclerc, Perez, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Sainz, Piastri, Hamilton and Albon. Out Bearman, Tsunoda, Gasly, Hulkenberg e Stroll.
Leclerc and Sainz improve
Leclerc climbs to second position (1’42”056), Sainz is fourth in 1’42”503. Last 4′ of Q2.
Norris: “Yellow flag, I was unlucky”
“A yellow flag was waved as I was finishing my second attempt in Q1, I was unlucky.” These are the words of Lando NorrisMcLaren driver interviewed immediately after qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, following his elimination in Q1. Norris, therefore, will start from seventeenth position on the grid at the Baku circuit. “The car went well, I was unlucky and had to abort the attempt because of a yellow flag displayed by the stewards. I shouldn’t have made that second attempt, I should have set the time in the first, unfortunately that’s how it went”, he concluded.
Q2, 10′ to go
The big names immediately look for time: Verstappen the fastest (1’42”042), behind him Perez, Piastri, Russell, Bearman and Sainz, ninth Leclerc. 10′ to the end of Q2
Q2 starts
Drivers on track, Q2 begins.
Leclerc fastest in Q1
Charles Leclerc was the fastest in Q1. The Ferrari driver lapped in 1’42”775 ahead of Albon’s Williams and Piastri’s McLaren. Followed by Gasly, Hamilton, Verstappen, Hulkenberg, Colapinto, Russell, Perez, Tsunoda, Sainz, Stroll, Bearman and Alonso. Out were Ricciardo, Norris, Bottas, Zhou and Ocon.
Norris out in Q1
Lando Norris exits the scene in Q1, 17th fastest time for the McLaren driver.
Q1, the situation 5′ from the end
The best time at the moment is Leclerc with 1’42”775, behind him Russell, Perez, Hamilton and Sainz. Verstappen is ninth behind Norris and Piastri
Sainz’s time
Sainz completes his flying lap, second behind Perez.
Perez the fastest
First references for the big ones, the fastest is Perez (1’43”436), behind him Leclerc (1’43”595) and Verstappen (1’43”644), then Piastri and Norris. Error in the first flying lap for Sainz. 10′ to go in Q1
Qualifying begins
First drivers on the track for the Q1qualifying for the Azerbaijan GP begins.
No penalty for Leclerc
Just a reprimand for Charles Leclerc for failing to slow down under the yellow flag during the third free practice session.
Leclerc at risk of penalty
Charles Leclerc was called to race direction for not respecting the yellow flag during the third free practice session. The Ferrari driver, questioned by the stewards, risks a grid penalty. We are waiting for the decision.
The Wings Affair and Red Bull’s Response
After the pronunciation of the Fiawhich declared the much-contested flexible devices of McLaren and Mercedes compliant with the regulations, the Anglo-Austrian team rushed to take cover with the announcement of Team Principal Horner: “We will make a flexible wing”. Read the in-depth article
Red Bull, who no longer knows how to win, is now spreading its wings. But perhaps it is too late to save its world championship
by Giuseppe Antonio Perrelli
The world rankings
This is the ranking of the world pilots championship: 1. Max Verstappen (Wave) 303 points; 2. Lando Norris (Gbr) 241; 3. Charles Leclerc (Mon) 217; 4. Oscar Piastri (Aus) 197; 5. Carlos Sainz (Esp) 184; 6. Lewis Hamilton (Gbr) 164; 7. Sergio Perez (Mex) 143; 8. George Russell (Gbr) 128; 9. Fernando Alonso (Esp) 50; 10. Lance Stroll (Can) 24. Builders: 1. Red Bull 446 punti; 2. McLaren 438; 3. Ferrari 407; 4. Mercedes 292; 5. Aston Martin 74; 6. RB Honda 34; 7. Haas Ferrari 28; 8. Alpine 13; 9. Williams 6; 10. Kick Sauber 0.
Baku Circuit: Three Poles in a Row for Leclerc
In the Monte Carlo of the Caspian Sea Charles Leclerc seeks the home air – the city’s nickname gives hope – which first in Monaco and then in Monza gave him the only successes of 2024. Ferrari arrives in Azerbaijan to confirm the positive trend of the last Grand Prix, from the Dutch podium to the Italian triumph two weeks ago. History and curiosities of the race.
Ferrari in Baku to try again, McLaren to overtake Red Bull
by Niccolò Maurelli
Third free practice for Russell, Leclerc second
George Russell was the fastest in the third free practice session. The British Mercedes driver lapped in 1’42”514, thirteen thousandths ahead of Ferrari Charles Leclercwhich precedes McLaren on the timing grid Lando Norris (1’42”737). As happened during the two previous sessions, red flags and many long runs characterised the drivers’ activity on the track, with two interruptions ordered by the race direction, first due to an engine failure on Esteban Ocon’s Alpine, then due to the accident that involved and damaged Oliver Bearman’s Haas. Sixth, however, was the other Rossa of Carlos Sainzwho placed themselves between the two Red Bulls of Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez – fifth and seventh respectively – with a surprising Williams immediately behind in eighth and ninth position with Alexander Albon and Franco Colapinto.
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– 2024-09-15 12:15:06
