Let’s face it, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was a bit of a shocker. Well, not if you are a Max Verstappen fan, who won at a canter. All the excitement happened on Saturday during qualifying with a record-breaking 6 red flags coming out to play. This meant that qualifying was actually longer than the race, a crazy 100 minutes long.
Once the 5 red lights went out on Sunday, the race didn’t deliver what the mixed-up grid promised. We had Carlos Sainz and Williams on the front row, Championship leader Piastri was in 10th after causing one of the red flags, and his title rival was only 7th as well. We were expecting the quicker cars making their way through the field, but we were left disappointed.
Piastri’s bad weekend ended after only 5 corners. He moved too early at the start and got mobbed by the field as he tried to correct his error as the lights actually went out. Now at the back of the field, he out braked himself going into Turn 5, locked up and slid into barriers.
This gave his two title rivals a massive opportunity, but only one was able to take advantage. Verstappen led from the front, in a class of one to win easily while Norris didn’t make up any ground from his 7th place start, stuck in DRS trains all afternoon but never really showed great pace anyway.
Elsewhere, Russell used the alternate strategy well to jump up to 2nd and Carlos Sainz completed his weekend with a fantastic podium finish for Williams, their first in 4 years.
There were some other great performances, which we will get to, but overall, it was a pretty lacklustre race around the streets of Baku. We even had the disappointment of the threatened race not materialising, which would have really spiced things up. Anywoo, into the ratings.
1. Max Verstappen – 8.1
It felt inevitable once he took pole and his main rivals were in the midfield that Max would win this race. He got away well, navigated the early safety car restart and slowly disappeared into the distance to put himself back on the outskirts of a title challenge.
2. George Russell – 8.5
Georgy-boy once again quietly got on with business this weekend. Suffering from a bad case of the flu, he dragged himself and his Mercedes onto the podium. He utilised the Hard-Medium tyre strategy well, putting in the pace when in clear air to jump the field and take second. Another weekend maximised.
3. Carlos Sainz – 8.9
Performance of the weekend from Carlos. He got his Williams onto the front row on Saturday, navigating a tricky qualifying session while his teammate caused the first red flag of the day. He remained second at the start and kept within touching distance of Verstappen for a while until the Red Bull showed its pace advantage. We also didn’t see much of Carlos but he pace was great and delivered the result Williams deserve this season. Driver of the Day.
4. Kimi Antonelli – 8.3
This is more like it from Kimi. Just when he needed a great performance to calm the doubters, he delivered. He boldly passed his teammate at the safety car restart, after starting 5th, to be running in with a chance of a podium, but he should be very happy with 4th. He showed the pace and aggression that we should expect from him.
5. Liam Lawson – 8.3
Lawson continues to put in great performances at the moment; this is his best finish in F1. He was the cork in the bottle for much of this race, running in 3rd until the pit stops, but held his own and didn’t come under much pressure from the chasing pack, despite them being on his tail pretty much all race. He has been the better Racing Bull since the Summer Break, and really, before that as well.
6. Yuki Tsunoda – 7.5
Again, more progress here from Yuki. Qualified in 6th, finished in 6th. Was the main chaser in the Lawson train, Red Bull would have expected him to get past, but at this point, at least he is scoring points! Held Lando off as well at the end.
7. Lando Norris – 6.9
Whatever he or McLaren may say otherwise, this was a massive opportunity missed for Lando. With his main title rival out of the race, it was a chance to scrap back points. He did do this, but not as many as is needed. He was quite passive in the race I thought. Was asleep at the safety car restart, got jumped by Leclerc and that really stuck Lando in position. A slow pit-stop didn’t help his progress, but his pace wasn’t electrifying when needed. He did eventually got past on Lap 41 to finish 7th and close the gap to Oscar to 25 points. However, this will be another instance if he looks back in December having not won the title, that will stand out as a reason why.
8. Lewis Hamilton – 7.1
Another disappointing qualifying for Hamilton, starting 12th. He went for the alternate Hard to Medium strategy and looked racey! He was running towards the back of the Lawson DRS train and got a big tyre differential when he pitted on Lap 36 for mediums. He closed like a madman on the pack in front, team orders got him ahead of his teammate but he couldn’t make inroads on Norris. He attempted to let his teammate back through but a combination of late Ferrari comms and a misjudgement from Hamilton resulted in a botched attempt.
9. Charles Leclerc – 7.1
Leclerc was another driver who binned it in Quali to bring out a red flag, starting 10th. The pace was looking promising for Ferrari on Friday but, once again, this didn’t convert. Like Lando, Charles was stuck in DRS trains all day and couldn’t make progress. He let his fast-approaching teammate through late on to have a go at the cars in front, and in typical Ferrari fashion, they messed up giving the place back on the finish line, so Charles was stuck in 9th.
10. Isack Hadjar – 7.1
A solitary point for Isack, but he fell back in the race from 8th. He didn’t quite have the pace of his teammate, but still a points finish. Not much else to say really!
11. Gabriel Bortoleto – 7.1
Bortoleto led the second half of this race, finishing 30 seconds back from Isack in 10th. He made up positions from his starting place of 13th, but that was as good as it was getting.
12. Ollie Bearman – 7.1
Clawed his way up from 15th and finished just behind Bortoleto for best of the rest. Again, very quiet race.
13. Alex Albon – 5.5
Rough weekend for Alex. Crashed early in Q1 to start at the back and hung around the back of the field for most of the race. On his way to 13th, he picked up a 10-second time penalty for colliding with Franco Colapinto.
14. Esteban Ocon – 7.2
Was disqualified from qualifying for a technical infringement so started at the back. He made his way back up to 14th, which isn’t too bad, considering.
15. Fernando Alonso – 7.2
Fernando was unfortunate to start just behind Piastri as he reacted to Oscar jumping the start, so he jumped the start himself. The resulting 10-second penalty was costly as he was running in the points but got stuck behind slower cars to finish 15th.
16. Nico Hulkenberg – 6.2
Outperformed by his teammate, again! Starting 17th and finished 16th, very quiet from the Hulk.
17. Lance Stroll – 5.5
Lance qualified 14th and went back in the race. Kind of typical for the Canadian this season if the session is dry.
18. Pierre Gasly – 6.2
One of two drivers to be a lap down in Baku. The other being his teammate. This Alpine is just so tricky the moment, and Pierre has signed up to multiple more years of it. Eek.
19. Franco Colapinto – 5.9
He was at the back of the field all weekend, and once he was spun around by Alex Albon’s Williams, he wasn’t able to re-attach to the pack. Last on the road once again.
20. Oscar Piastri – 1.5
Nightmare weekend for Oscar. He didn’t look comfortable throughout practice and crashed in Q3 to put himself in the pack for the race. He got a bit trigger-happy with the clutch to jump the start and dropped all the way to the back because of it. He would be put out of his misery at Turn 5, as he outbraked himself, and found himself right at the scene of the accident with one of his wheels pointing in the wrong direction. A really strange weekend from the previously in-flappable Australian. He will need to put it behind him and regain his composure in Singapore.
The Perfect Formula 