The big news since Monza has been confirmation of the rumour that ex-Red Bull designer Adrian Newey has joined Aston Martin as “managing technical partner” (presumably to avoid declaring him in their cost-cap calculations, same as Red Bull did). [FIA tweet]
Talking of that, BBC reported “Engine manufacturers Honda and Alpine have both committed a “procedural breach” of the Formula 1 cost-cap regulations, says governing body the FIA. A statement from the FIA did not detail the specifics of the breaches, which took place in the 2023 season, but said neither had exceeded the spending limit.”
MAG’s penalty in Monza meant he’d accrued 12 penalty points in the past 12-month period and therefore “the Super Licence of the driver of Car 20 must be suspended for the next Competition” (i.e. Baku) so he’ll be replaced by Oliver Bearman (“BEA” in my notes). [FIA tweet]
The FIA also rejected Red Bull and Ferrari claims about the legality of the front wings on the McLaren and Mercedes cars, so you can expect the Red Bull and Ferrari cars to have similar wings in the next race or two.
Free Practice
- FP1: VER (1:45.546), HAM, PER, NOR, SAI
- FP2: LEC (1:43.484), PER, HAM, SAI, PIA
- FP3: RUS (1:42.514), LEC, NOR, PIA, VER
Penalties
SAI was given a warning for impeding PER in FP2
PER was given a warning for impeding SAI in FP3
Upgrades on ZHO’s car mean he’ll have to start the race from the back of the grid
LEC received a reprimand for failing to slow for yellow flags in FP3
Qualifying
Air temperature 27°C; track 38°C
2mins ahead of Q1 there’s already a queue of cars at the end of the pit lane
Qualifying session 1 (Q1)
Mercedes pair are on medium compound tyres; everyone else on softs
HUL 1:45.473
BOT 1:44.876
TSU 1:44.531
ALB 1:44.207
COL 1:44.204
VER 1:43.644
PER 1:43.436
(LEC P2)
(COL P3)
BEA slides the Haas and just keeps it out of the wall
Yellow flag as SAI takes to the escape road
PER 1:43.213
LEC 1:42.775
3mins left; bottom 5 are TSU, STR, OCO, BOT, ZHO
TSU P4, relegating BEA to P16
BOT P10, ALO P16
Brief yellow flag
ALO P6, GAS P16
(ALB P2)
(COL P3)
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are GAS, BEA, STR, OCO, ZHO
BEA P9, VER P16
VER P3, PIA P16
GAS P3, NOR P16
Yellow flag in Sector 3
PIA P3, RIC P16
NOR pits – he couldn’t improve because of the yellow flag
Back of the grid: RIC, NOR, BOT, ZHO, OCO
Qualifying session 2
PIA and COL both released into the path of RUS
LEC 1:43.422
SAI 1:43.225
RUS 1:42.785
PIA 1:42.598
VER 1:42.042
(PER P2)
Radio from RUS, “Let’s get out there early – I think the track is starting to plateau”
5mins left; bottom 5 are COL, ALO, GAS, TSU, STR
(LEC P2)
3mins left; only PER remains in the pits
Ferrari struggling to organise the tow
GAS P7
Chequered flag; bottom 5 are BEA, HUL, STR, COL, ALO
COL P5, GAS P11
BEA P10, TSU P11
ALO P5, BEA P11
Middle of the grid: BEA, TSU, GAS, HUL, STR
Top 10 shootout is between VER, LEC, PER, RUS, ALO, COL, SAI, PIA, HAM, ALB
Qualifying session 3
PER is going to whine about it but the Williams duo were released safely and legally ahead of him
Everyone doing their first run on used softs
RUS 1:41.962
HAM P2
PIA 1:41.827
LEC 1:41.610
SAI P2
ALO P6
VER P5
ALB P7
COL P8
PER P5
Order after the first run: LEC, SAI, PIA, RUS, PER, VER, HAM, ALB, COL, ALO
Radio from PER asking for a quick turnaround,
Everyone pits for fresh softs
ALB has been released but the fan is still in the main air intake!
ALB stops just after the pit exit; he’s trying to get the marshals’ attention but they’re ignoring him
ALB removes the fan himself and shoves it away from the car, so he can set off again
That’ll obviously be an unsafe release penalty for ALB
Chequered flag; order is LEC, SAI, PIA, RUS, PER, VER, HAM, ALB, COL, ALO
ALB didn’t make it to the line in time to start a final flying lap
RUS P4
HAM P7
PIA P2
SAI P3
LEC 1:41.365
ALO P8
COL P9
VER P5
PER P4
Front of the grid: LEC, PIA, SAI, PER, RUS, VER, HAM, ALO, COL, ALB
Replay shows PIA tapped the wall – it cost him some time but didn’t seem to do much damage to the McLaren
Provisional grid: LEC, PIA, SAI, PER, RUS, VER, HAM, ALO, COL, ALB, BEA, TSU, GAS, HUL, STR, RIC, NOR, BOT, OCO, ZHO*
*Upgrades to ZHO’s car means he has to start from the back of the grid
Penalties
“Visa Cash App RB F1 Team” is fined €400 for TSU speeding in the pit lane in Q1
Williams Racing is fined &euro5,000 for the unsafe release of ALB in Q3
GAS is disqualified from the qualifying classification for exceeding the instantaneous fuel mass flow limit, but they’ve allowed him to race tomorrow
RUS got a reprimand for failing to slow under yellow flags
Revised grid: LEC, PIA, SAI, PER, RUS, VER, HAM, ALO, COL, ALB, BEA, TSU, HUL, STR, RIC, NOR, BOT, OCO, ZHO, GAS
Sunday updates
HAM and OCO will start from the pit lane after receiving power unit updates to their cars
Race
Pit lane is open; drivers can make their way to the grid
The track is looking dusty again, and quite a lot of leaves in places, even though there have been support races today
Radio from RUS complaining that his brakes “don’t feel like they have great deceleration” but adds that’s how they felt at the start of Q1
Red Bull mechanics forming a wall around the rear of PER’s car – nothing suspicious here!
Grid: LEC, PIA, SAI, PER, RUS, VER, ALO, COL, ALB, BEA, TSU, HUL, STR, RIC, NOR, BOT, ZHO, GAS; HAM and OCO in the pit lane
Track temperature 46°C; it’s cloudless but windy
LEC leads everyone away on the formation lap
Front runners are starting on medium compound tyres; ALB, RIC, NOR, ZHO, GAS and OCO on hards
01/51: LEC leads through Turn 1
PER past SAI for P2
VER taken P5 from RUS
NOR up to P13
Radio from STR reporting a puncture
02: DRS enabled
LEC, PIA, PER, SAI, VER, RUS, ALO, COL, ALB, BEA
STR pits; hard tyres go on; rejoins P20
NOR up to P12
03: PIA has DRS behind LEC
NOR takes P11 from TSU
HUL past TSU too
LEC has opened just enough gap to deny DRS to PIA
04: LEC fastest lap 1:48.412
TSU lets RIC and GAS past
HAM takes P15 from TSU
Replay shows contact between TSU and STR back on lap 1
05/51: LEC, PIA, PER, SAI, VER, RUS, ALO, COL, ALB, BEA, NOR, HUL, RIC, GAS, HAM, TSU, BOT, ZHO, OCO, STR
06: PIA f/lap 1:48.070
RUS on the cusp of getting DRS behind VER
07: BEA locks up but avoids the wall in Turn 15
08: NOR takes P10 from BEA
09: LEC f/lap 1:47.672
Radio from RUS reporting a plastic bag entering an air intake
HUL filling temporary teammate BEA’s mirrors
Radio for NOR telling him his hard tyres are performing better than the mediums ahead of him
PER closing on PIA
10/51: LEC, PIA, PER, SAI, VER, RUS, ALO, COL, ALB, NOR
HUL past BEA for P11
ZHO takes P17 from teammate BOT
Radio from VER, “I have zero bite in the car”
11: COL pits from P8; hards go on; rejoins P15 – an early 1-stop or are they 2-stopping?
OCO has taken P18 from BOT
12: ALO pits from P7; hards; P14
13: VER pits; hards; P10
RUS pits too; hards; P12
HAM also pits; hards; P18
14: PER pits from P3; hards; P6
VER uses DRS to pass P9 from RIC
15/51: LEC, PIA, SAI, ALB, NOR, PER, HUL, VER, RUS, GAS, RIC, ALO, COL, ZHO, OCO, BEA, STR, HAM, BOT, TSU
Radio from PER complaining NOR is holding him up
16: PIA pits; hards; P4 but PER has passed NOR and is right on his tail
TSU pits; retires – there’s a big hole in his right side pod, presumably caused by the collision with STR
17: LEC pits from P1; hards; P2 just ahead of ALB
PER f/lap 1:47.140
18: SAI pits; hards; P6
PIA past ALB for P2
PER has a look but ALB defends P3
HAM takes P15 from ZHO
Everyone currently running on hard tyres
19: PER inside ALB for P3
PIA now has DRS behind LEC
20/51: LEC, PIA, PER, ALB, NOR, SAI, VER, RUS, ALO, GAS
PIA uses DRS to close on LEC; dives down the inside into Turn 1 to take P1
21: PER has closed up on LEC; both have DRS behind PIA
HAM has a look but BEA defends P14
SAI closing on NOR
Radio from LEC, concerned PIA and PER have more grip
22: COL takes P10 from GAS
23: SAI past NOR for P5; ALB and NOR have yet to pit for mediums
24: SAI now past ALB for P4
NOR defends P6 from VER
VER darting one side to the other but NOR holds him off
Radio for HAM asking him to try to reduce tyre temps
VER cuts Turn 15
25/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, ALB, NOR, VER, RUS, ALO, COL
PIA f/lap 1:47.066
Half distance
Radio from VER reporting his “brakes are not working”
26: Radio from RUS asking when they think ALB and NOR will pit; he’s told another 10 laps
NOR still holding off VER
27: LEC still has DRS behind PIA but can’t get close enough to attack
28: LEC getting closer
29: PIA defends into Turn 1
30/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, ALB, NOR, VER, RUS, ALO, COL, HUL, GAS, BEA, HAM, RIC, ZHO, OCO, BOT, STR; out: TSU
Radio from NOR asking for help because he’s stuck behind ALB
31: PIA defends again; LEC stays in DRS range but can’t quite get close enough to make a move
32: ALB pits; mediums; P11
RUS has a look at VER
Now NOR has clean air – will he do a few quick laps before he pits?
33: PIA defending through Turn 1 again; LEC was closer than he’s been in ages, but PER has closed on him too
Radio from VER, “I have no rear grip”
34: RUS inside VER to take P6
35/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, NOR, RUS, VER, ALO, COL, HUL
ALO has COL, HUL and ALB on his tail
36: HUL takes P9 from COL
SAI’s rear steps out
Brief yellow flag
Radio for LEC telling him to “box opposite McLaren”
ALB has taken P10 from teammate COL
37: PIA stays out… and so does LEC
ALB has a look inside HUL but the Haas defends P9
38: LEC still has DRS behind PIA, but PER now over 2sec behind LEC
NOR pits from P5; mediums; P7
ALB past HUL for P9
39: Radio for LEC asking about “Plan C”; “not stupid”
40/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, VER, NOR, ALO, ALB, HUL, COL, BEA, HAM, GAS, RIC, OCO, STR, BOT, ZHO; out: TSU
Radio from LEC reporting “PIA starting to struggle”
NOR f/lap 1:45.662 – he’s about 13sec behind VER
LEC gets very close to the wall in Turn 15
41: PIA defends into Turn 1
BEA defends but HAM squeezes through to take P12
42: PER still sitting just outside DRS range of LEC
Both PIA and LEC have a small twitch
PER starts closing on LEC again; he’s got DRS
43: NOR just over 9sec behind VER but there’s only 8 laps left
NOR f/lap 1:45.255
Radio for PER informing him they’re closing on some backmarkers
45/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, VER, NOR, ALO, ALB, HUL, COL, HAM, BEA, GAS, RIC, OCO, STR, BOT, ZHO; out: TSU
On-screen graphic says NOR will catch VER in 4 laps
46: SAI closing on PER – he’ll have DRS in a lap or two
STR pits; retires with a brake problem
47: LEC not close enough to attack
In fact LEC no longer has DRS but PER has DRS behind him
48: PER has a little look at LEC into Turn 1
Radio from LEC, “No rear tyres”
PER is right on LEC’s tail, but SAI has DRS behind him
49: PIA 2.5sec clear of LEC
PER has another look but LEC defends P2
NOR swoops past VER to take P6
50/51: PIA, LEC, PER, SAI, RUS, NOR, VER, ALO, ALB, COL, HUL, HAM, BEA, GAS, RIC, ZHO, OCO, BOT
PER attacks; LEC defends and forces PER wide
SAI dives through to steal P3
Contact between SAI and PER – they’re both in the wall!
Yellow flags
Radio from PER screaming, but the replay looks like PER tagged SAI
VSC deployed
51/51: PIA, LEC, RUS, NOR, VER, ALO, ALB, COL, HAM, BEA, HUL, GAS, RIC, ZHO, OCO, BOT
At most that collision was 50:50 but SAI was clearly ahead
PIA takes the chequered flag
Provisional result: PIA, LEC, RUS, NOR, VER, ALO, ALB, COL, HAM, BEA; HUL, GAS, RIC, ZHO, OCO, BOT
DNF: SAI, PER, STR, TSU
Fastest lap: NOR
Now we wait for the stewards to do their thing…
Well, the decision in the SAI/PER collision has just been published: “In conclusion, the Stewards deem this to be a racing incident with neither driver being predominantly at fault, and take no further action.”
There’s still some “alleged Virtual Safety Car infringements” and an “alleged Pit Lane infringement” for McLaren to be reviewed…
McLaren has been fined €5,000 for having personnel/equipment in the Parc Fermé area before the end of the race
There were warnings for “Overtaking under Virtual Safety Car Conditions after the chequered flag” for HUL, VER, OCO and GAS
Result: PIA, LEC, RUS, NOR, VER, ALO, ALB, COL, HAM, BEA; HUL, GAS, RIC, ZHO, OCO, BOT
[2024 calendar and driver line-up]
One thought on “Azerbaijan Grand Prix”
Comments are closed.