The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the fourth round of the Formula 1 World Championship, will take place on the Baku street circuit on Sunday 29 April 2018. After two editions of the grand prix in Baku, held in June, the race has been moved to the end of April. On the eve of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Federation authorizes the movement of the rear view mirrors on the Halo. The introduction of this new protective element has in fact reduced rear visibility for the drivers. The FIA technicians have confirmed that they will not be able to pass cables through the fairing; in the event a team is asked by FOM to mount the camera in the mirrors, the team will have to revert to using a frame or belly mounted mirror. Also the FIA, through Nicholas Tombazis, FIA technical director for F1, sends a letter of clarification to the teams, in which he specifies that the blowing of the exhaust cannot be induced by special engine mappings. In fact, the exhaust gases of the cars can be used to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of the rear wing. The problem of using exhausts had already been tackled in the 2014 regulation, by moving the terminal up to prevent the gases from performing an aerodynamic function on the bottom of the single-seater.
"We do not accept that there are engine operating modes specifically designed to increase exhaust blowing even when cornering. To be eligible, such flows should be the result of engine settings that increase power unit performance or reliability and they were not designed to increase the blowing of exhaust gases".
Adds Tombazis:
"Despite the above point, we do not believe that it is easy to write a rule that achieves the goal perfectly. To this end, we intend to check the use of each engine on a case-by-case basis, to provide the teams with the necessary indications so that they can remain within the limits. Even if it is not the most satisfactory solution, we believe it is the best way to manage the situation in 2018, especially since the effects obtained are not significant in any case".
The issue of exhaust blowing was addressed with the 2014 regulation, moving the terminal up to prevent the gases from performing an aerodynamic function on the bottom of the single-seater. The influence of gases was almost irrelevant until the 2017 rule change, when, with a lower rear wing, the possibility of making the rear wing more efficient with blowing from the exhaust was rediscovered.
"One of the objectives of the 2014 regulations was to eliminate once and for all the influence of the exhaust on the aerodynamic performance of the car. Everything went smoothly until 2017, when the blowing of the exhaust had an impact on the rear downforce, mainly due to the lower rear wing position. Clearly this effect is much smaller than what was seen in the 2011-2013 period, but it is still measurable".
Tombazis says the Renault's exhaust complies with the rules, having been positioned at a 5° angle above the smaller wastegate tailpipes, in an area allowed by the 2018 rules. For the FIA F1 technical manager, the teams are free to mount the exhausts in a favorable position relative to the rear wing, provided that this location satisfies the regulations. The Federation, again through Tombazis, also let it be known that he wants to change for 2019 and make sure that the position of the exhausts is changed to avoid any gas blowing on the wings. The changes have already been discussed in the Technical Working Group, but no agreement has been found at the moment.
"In 2019 we intend to overcome the problem by moving the drain. This issue has already been discussed, but a satisfactory solution has not yet been found. We will discuss this issue in the next TWG, with the aim of reaching an agreement so that the position of the exhaust prevents any influence on aerodynamics, so as to eliminate the need to do checks on how the engine is used as well".
Pirelli, the sole tyre supplier, announces that it will provide Soft, Supersoft and Ultrasoft compound tyres for the Grand Prix. Says Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director:
"The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is expected to be held under different conditions this year, as it will be held two months earlier and with temperatures probably lower than last season, when the asphalt temperature had exceeded 50 °C. With the new regulations, the nomination in 2017 was perhaps a bit too conservative and the P Zero White medium was hardly used. For 2018 we have chosen softer compounds: this should lead to a wide variety of strategies, as seen in the last two races in Bahrain and China".
For this Grand Prix, the FIA establishes two zones where drivers can activate the Drag Reduction System: the first zone on the pit straight, with the driver gap determination point set at Turn 20, and the second zone in the section between Turn 2 and Turn 3, with detection point set before Turn 2. Tom Kristensen is appointed assistant steward by the FIA. The Danish driver has also served in this position before, most recently at the 2017 Mexican Grand Prix. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, held on the Baku street circuit, famously manages to surprise both drivers and fans. In the past we have witnessed Lewis Hamilton's Q3 mistake in 2016, Sebastian Vettel's side-swiping the British Mercedes driver in 2017, the fratricidal contact between Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez. And Daniel Ricciardo's victory, coming back from 17th position. The Australian driver himself comes to Baku after winning in Shanghai. Both in terms of the Australian driver's skills and the characteristics of the circuit and the Red Bull Racing team's cars, the latter seems likely to be the favorite to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. A victory that would put him forward as a serious contender for the rainbow helmet:
"Fighting for the championship? It's too early to say, I'm not thinking about the championship. I definitely want to be in the fight, if things are done well, we can do a lot. In terms of reliability we know that over the course of the season we will face some penalties. In qualifying configuration we don't have the same power that Mercedes and Ferrari have. In race pace we have reduced the gap a lot".
The Australian driver is also at the center of the driver market. In fact, there are rumors that the current Red Bull Racing driver may decide to accept a proposal from Maranello. But as long as it is not to be a second driver. There are those in Baku who insinuate that Daniel Ricciardo has already signed a pre-contract with Ferrari, but the Australian denies this theory:
"There is no pre-contract with Ferrari, I categorically exclude it. But I will wait for the summer to decide. I'm in no hurry to sign, because I don't think I'll leave empty-handed. I will think about plan B only after the summer. So far I have only spoken to Red Bull, they want to keep me in the team and we started talking. But I know the news that's circulating, and it's not true, at least for now. The fastest car I can drive will be at the top of the list. Being a squire for someone? I want to win the championship, I would make sure that everything is clear. I would never go to a team where I didn't feel I could have my chances in terms of the title. In Red Bull since 2014 I have always received a lot of correctness and clarity, I expect a similar environment in any other team. But I will only change if I have the opportunity to do better than my current situation. The economic question is not relevant".
Is there a chance to see him become Lewis Hamilton's teammate?
"I'd like a challenge like this against the best. He's one of the best ever, but even now I have a good challenge with Max and before that I had it with Seb. I haven't won many races in my career, each one is special. There are ups and downs in this sport, and they all affect you".
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen shows up in Baku with intentions of victory:
"I'm certainly not here to finish fifth, especially with the car I had available in China. But perhaps I wanted victory too much and this cost me dearly".
Regarding the apologies addressed to Sebastian Vettel, after what happened in China (during lap 43 Max Verstappen hit Sebastian Vettel's car, in an attempt to overtake), the Dutch driver says:
"It's not too often that I have to apologize, but sometimes it's a necessary thing".
And regarding the risky overtaking against Lewis Hamilton, he adds:
"It was a good opportunity to pass, but Lewis acted exactly as I would have done... He simply forced me to go a little wide, there were marbles there and I suddenly lost control of the car. It was a normal racing episode".
Responding, however, to questions relating to the opinion expressed by his father, Jos, Max Verstappen says:
"Obviously it didn't take me by surprise because I had already spoken to him and I already knew what to expect. My father is one of the most critical people in the world, so if I can handle the pressure he puts on me, then I can handle anyone's. No one is perfect, neither am I, I still have a lot to improve. And I am very happy to listen and try to learn. In the end I have to understand myself and realize what went wrong in this start of the season. But I've always been good at looking back and finding positive starting points. What happened in China isn't a drama. Obviously the result doesn't reflect my wishes but we need to see what good this season has brought. And that is that the race pace is already excellent... Now only the results are missing".
For his part, Sebastian Vettel, returning to talk about what happened in the previous Chinese Grand Prix, admits:
"After the race I experienced the worst sensations. I had to deal with this. That's the way life is. The things that destroy you are the ones that hurt you the most".
Then, referring to the episode that saw him involved with Max Verstappen in China, the German driver adds:
"I was calm in the car, because I had to somehow try to get the car to the finish line to score at least some points".
The start of the season for Lewis Hamilton was not the most exciting. However, the British driver says, on the eve of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
"It's good to see fire in the people you compete with. And it's also nice to see that they're not perfect, because I don't think anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes, but how people handle them and how they progress is something you can really learn from".
Speaking of the turnaround received by Sebastian Vettel during the Grand Prix held in Baku in 2017, the British driver says:
"Since then, respect for him has grown considerably. And I'm sure it will continue like this. He has continued to progress like the champion he is. How he presents himself, how he speaks: he continues to grow".
Talking about the situation in the championship, the Mercedes driver adds:
"It's only been three races. We wish we'd won some, but it's been a learning process. We know it's a three-way battle. It won't be easy and it will take a lot of work to give your best. The Ferraris and Red Bulls were quick here last year and I predict it will still be the same, while we have no idea where we will be this weekend. We are still the same team and I think we can trust those guys. We now have Red Bull close to its best and Ferrari already at its best, if we are able to bounce back and finish the job as in previous years then this would be the greatest goal this team can achieve".
And Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff points out:
"The 2018 F1 season is set to celebrate everything we love about motor racing. Three teams are battling it out fiercely for race victories. We have witnessed exciting grand prix, with breathtaking overtaking. The fastest cars in history, driven by some of the best drivers the sport has ever seen. So far, this year has all the ingredients for one of those legendary F1 seasons, one that fans will look back on with smiles on their faces for years to come. It's not just the fans at home or on the circuits who are enthusiastic, we feel the same way too. And we know we have a huge challenge on our hands. Last year, we were in a tough battle with Ferrari. However, it was nothing compared to the intensity of the struggle this year".
And he adds:
"Both Red Bull and Ferrari will do everything possible to beat us. Their cars, their teams, their drivers, they all operate at a high level and they will continue to put pressure on us. Not everyone likes this kind of challenge, but we do. Every member of our team has joined the sport for moments like these. We are all united in an extraordinary battle, where every detail counts and where no one can predict the outcome. It will be the first time that the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be held in April, with completely different conditions than in previous years. Last year's race resulted in a podium that no one could have predicted and, as is typical of street circuit racing, we can once again expect the unexpected".
On Friday 27 April 2018, during FP1 Valtteri Bottas sets the best time. The Finnish driver leads by a few thousandths of a second Daniel Ricciardo, on Red Bull Racing. The two drivers tested with different tyres, with the first on Ultrasoft compounds, while the second set the time on Supersoft tyres, after having also tested the Softs. Sergio Pérez, with his Force India, sets the third fastest time, ahead of the reigning World Champion, Lewis Hamilton. The other Force India driver, Esteban Ocon, closed the first practice session with the fifth fastest time. The street circuit fails to guarantee a good level of grip. This is a factor that favors driving errors by pilots. Max Verstappen crashes at turn 6, damaging his car and forcing the introduction of the virtual safety car. Even the Ferrari drivers have to face numerous difficulties, even when using the Ultrasoft tyres.
The two drivers completed only a few laps, with Sebastian Vettel setting only the tenth fastest time, and Kimi Räikkönen the fifteenth. Furthermore, the bottom of the Finnish driver's car was removed. The lower temperatures compared to the first session make it more difficult to get the tyres to maximum use in the second practice session. Therefore, more warm-up laps are needed before a good time can be set. During FP2 Daniel Ricciardo sets the best time. The Australian preceded Kimi Räikkönen and his teammate, Max Verstappen, who was forced to wait for the mechanics to repair the car damaged in the first session. Kimi Räikkönen's Ferrari also needs an intervention by the technicians of the Maranello team, who are forced to replace the gearbox. Even the Sauber mechanics must carry out the same operation on Marcus Ericsson's car. After the first three drivers, the only ones to lap under the 1'43"0 limit are the two Mercedes drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, followed by Fernando Alonso. Sebastian Vettel fails to return to the top ten, due to several driving errors. At the end of FP2, the FIA decided to forbid the drivers to cross the boundary line at the entrance to the pit lane, while remaining on the track, thus exploiting the trail of cars entering the pit lane. This manoeuvre, criticized for being dangerous by the drivers, was prevented by the Federation, restoring the rule according to which a single-seater, which has all four wheels to the left of the white line, must enter the pit lane. It was not a very exciting practice session for the Mercedes team and for Lewis Hamilton, who at the end of FP2 admits:
"We sat down and figured out where we went wrong, but we're still implementing changes, because there could be five or ten different solutions for that particular problem. Now I just hope we implemented the right equation to get the right answer, but I won't know until tomorrow. It was really interesting to have those meetings, because we covered a lot of important topics. I hope that during this weekend we will be able to put what we have learned to good use. However, we know that Ferrari and Red Bull will be close, they were quite fast here last year and I expect it will be the same in this edition too. We have no idea where we might be over the weekend. We believe the car is good and there is no big problem to fix. The tyres are an aspect on which we are still learning. In one race we make them work in the other we don't. But I think the tyres are having a big effect for everyone".
And he adds:
"The car handled well, but during the last Grand Prix it didn't work properly. I believe that if we can get to grips with this situation relating to tyres, we will be able to show the true potential of our single-seater. I wouldn't say that in Melbourne we were lucky, but we found ourselves naturally ahead. We put the car on the track and it worked well, it was certainly easier to work with the tyres, but the engineers were unable to explain why I was so fast in qualifying and why I was fast in the race and why the others weren't. The Ferraris were slow through the corners and at the next race they were competitive, so they found something and it's very likely in the tyres".
The British driver concludes:
"If we look at the data of all the drivers, there are different speeds in the out laps. Some have to do two for the tyres to work, others take longer or even try right on the launch lap. So, there are different ways that everyone is trying to experiment. It was a clean day in which we completed our work program without problems Red Bull and Ferrari, however, are definitely faster than us at the moment. I'll be knocking on all the engineers' doors tonight in the hope of finding the right solutions to make up ground".
His teammate, Valtteri Bottas, confirms the words of the World Champion, saying:
"I felt better in the morning than in the afternoon. It's very difficult to put together a good lap. My best time came at the end of a troubled lap. We have to work on the balance, but the car is fast, with the correct adjustments we can fight at the top. Racing here in Baku earlier than in previous years makes the tyres an unknown factor, just as the wind will have to be monitored".
It wasn't an exhilarating day either for Sebastian Vettel and for Scuderia Ferrari, who were grappling with various problems to solve:
"I think this circuit is quite complicated. It's not easy to find the rhythm and I didn't find it this morning. As well as at the beginning of the second session I was not keeping up with the others. But I was quite happy with the long run at the end. The car is fine, I couldn't get the lap together. It's up to me. It can happen quite easily here, with a little mistake under braking. As I said the long run went a little better. We can improve the car for tomorrow and do even better".
And Kimi Raikkonen also confirms:
"FP1 wasn't the easiest to start the weekend with and obviously I wanted larger changes than usual, which took up more time than expected. Maybe we should have started earlier, to keep a few more laps in the first session, to be more ready in the second. But then, in any case, it was a right decision and it went well. We will see. Performance so far hasn't been too bad. We can certainly still improve and we'll find out what our position will be tomorrow".
After taking the victory in Shanghai, Daniel Ricciardo now hopes to be able to do it again in Baku. For now, the results of the tests place him among the favourites to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
"I hope to be able to maintain this pace tomorrow as well. I have confidence for Sunday. We are very close to Ferrari, even on the long run. I don't know if Mercedes will be on our level, but the top six are pretty close".
Saturday 28 April 2018 the wind and the lower temperatures do not allow the pilots to score valid times like those of Friday. Sebastian Vettel sets the fastest performance, ahead of Lewis Hamilton by 0.3 seconds and his team mate, Kimi Räikkönen, by 0.4 seconds. Followed by Max Verstappen and Valtteri Bottas. Daniel Ricciardo was forced to interrupt his fastest lap due to traffic found on the track, while Sergio Pérez closed the session in sixth place, after Mercedes granted Force India the possibility of using the engine mapping called party mode. In the final minutes, the session was interrupted with the red flag due to the accident involving Sergej Sirotkin, who went off the track at turn 3. At the end of free practice, Nico Hülkenberg was forced to replace the gearbox; for this reason he will be penalized with the loss of five positions on the starting grid. The weather is cloudy but it doesn't rain on the track at the start of qualifying. Romain Grosjean, who had already highlighted braking problems during free practice, was forced to abandon qualifying almost immediately after making two driving errors, attributed to a problem with the gearbox. Esteban Ocon sets the first reference time, beaten by Daniel Ricciardo, who laps in 1'43"259. Shortly after, the Ferrari drivers drop below the 1'43"0 limit. Ocon then interposes himself between the two cars from Maranello The other Force India driver, Sergio Pérez, on the other hand, risks being the protagonist of an accident, even going off the track. Max Verstappen beats the time of Daniel Ricciardo, who, in turn, precedes the Mercedes drivers, before Lewis Hamilton improved to 1'42"693. A time which, however, was beaten by Kimi Räikkönen, who lapped in 1'42"538. Subsequently Max Verstappen climbed to second place, while Pierre Gasly avoided an accident with his teammate, Brendon Hartley, who proceeded very slowly in the middle of the track.
In the final part of Q1 Kevin Magnussen loses a piece of deflector, and the following neutralization of the sector, through the use of yellow flags, prevent the drivers from improving their times. Stoffel Vandoorne, Pierre Gasly, Marcus Ericsson, Brendon Hartley and Romain Grosjean are eliminated, who, in fact, has no valid times for the deployment. In Q2, only the Force Indias opt for the use of the Ultrasofts, even though they wear out quickly. Valtteri Bottas sets a time of 1'42"679, 0.2 seconds better than Max Verstappen's time. Kimi Räikkönen uses his only set of Supersoft tyres but makes a mistake. Lewis Hamilton beats Valtteri Bottas' time by just 0.003 seconds. Kimi Räikkönen then had to opt for the use of Ultrasoft tyres, which will then be the same ones to be used at the start of the race.The Finnish driver set the best time, lapping in 1'42"510. The Ferrari driver is the only driver to improve, among those in the lead. The eliminated are the two Williams drivers Lance Stroll and Sergej Sirotkin, Fernando Alonso, Charles Leclerc and Kevin Magnussen. In Q3 the drivers make their first attempt with greater prudence. Max Verstappen sets a time of 1'42"052, but this limit is improved by the Mercedes drivers. Then, however, Sebastian Vettel sets a time of 1'41"498, which takes him into first position. Kimi Räikkönen makes a mistake into the last corner. Daniel Ricciardo fears a puncture, and therefore changes the set of tyres, after the first attempt. Esteban Ocon scores the best performance in the third sector, placing himself in seventh place overall, ahead of Sergio Pérez, Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr.. In the meantime Lewis Hamilton sets the record in the first sector, but concludes with a lap of 1'41"677, while Valtteri Bottas does not improve his time. Kiimi Räikkönen sets the best performance in the first two sectors, but an error at the end of the lap relegates him to sixth place. Sebastian Vettel, however, manages to further lower the time, thus conquering the third consecutive pole position, ahead of the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, and the two Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen . Ferrari had not obtained three consecutive pole position starts since 2008. Sebastian Vettel can only be satisfied with the result obtained in Baku, at the end of qualifying:
"The car continued to be fantastic and improved from lap to lap and the track also rubberized a lot during qualifying. In Q3 after the first attempt I was really very happy, maybe I could have done a little better in the central sector, in turn 6 and also in turn 11 where I exaggerated a bit and went a little wider than necessary. Otherwise, the lap was very good indeed and I also had a good exit in the last corner, which was incredibly difficult today, with the wind playing tricks on all of us I think. There was also a bit of a slipstream with the cars 5-6-7 seconds ahead, so I was really happy with how I put together the lap. I knew I could do a little more on the next try, at the places I just mentioned. The car was super from the start. I exaggerated a bit, had a bit too much enthusiasm in turn 3 and braked a bit too late, also ended up in a pothole and lost some front stability. I was a little angry because I missed an important opportunity to improve and I didn't know what was happening around me. So I had to abort the lap, but when they told me I was in pole position I was obviously very happy. I think the team worked very well, once again we changed the car during the night to find even more performance".
Lockup on the last lap?
"I think the car went well in Q1 and Q2, but in the last segment of qualifying I thought I could do well. In the first lap I was very happy, but I could have done better in two short stretches. In the second I knew the track would improve, I could have done more. I was below the previous time, but I locked up in turn 3 and had to slow down".
And what about the race?
"It will be an intense race, anything can happen, even the Safety Car. Our car has been fine this afternoon and we are in good shape for tomorrow. Yesterday I struggled a bit to find the confidence in the car and the pace. But then something clicked and it was very cool. I'm sorry about the last attempt, but I took pole and we can't be unhappy. I lacked a bit of confidence in the car yesterday and that was caused by a lack of confidence in the track, because on this track you have to have confidence, otherwise you can't go as fast as you have the potential to do. At the end of yesterday's free practice, however, I was quite confident and today I was able to bring that confidence into the day".
Lewis Hamilton, who failed to set an already fast time of his rival, had to settle for second place. However, the British pilot is not unhappy with the work done:
"I am happy to be here. Sebastian did a great job, congratulations to him. Obviously the Ferraris, both in qualifying and on pace, are very fast here. They proved it all weekend, as did the Red Bulls. We struggled yesterday, today we recovered thanks to the hard work of the engineers during the night, who understood what the problem was and allowed us to progress. Today the car was much more reasonable, certainly there was still something missing, but it was a work in progress I would say. Getting so close to the Ferraris is a positive point, especially since it's me and Valtteri here. It's a confidence booster for the team, I'm excited for the race. Here it is difficult to overcome, but we will give everything. Greetings to the public. We came close, did the best job possible, and came within a whisker of pole position. I thought I was three tenths ahead until turn 15, but in the end I was late and lost something. Sebastian did a great job, they were very fast this weekend. Obviously they have a phenomenal car, but I'm happy with the work done with the team to make up all the ground lost yesterday. And Valtteri did a good job too, so we're right there, battling it out. We'll give it a hard time tomorrow. Driving with the wind on the straight is difficult".
Valtteri Bottas will start from third position, but he warns the fans of the Maranello team:
"We can certainly fight with Ferrari. We are there with both cars and this has never happened in this start of the season. We'll start close together, and the racing here is crazy and we'll be in the fight. Last year I was one lap behind and finished second. As Lewis said, we have made a lot of progress compared to yesterday. The result was better than we had anticipated. We believed we could fix the problems, and we are still looking for the right set-up path. In qualifying we had the best car of the whole weekend. The session was pretty straightforward, except in Q1 for some yellow flags. Here it's difficult to put together the perfect lap, in the second sector I was missing something, the Ferraris were too fast there. Both cars are in a great position to fight for the win".
Who disappointed was Kimi Raikkonen, who failed to complete the last attempt:
"I didn't take any risks, I just had the time there, but for some reason I had a blow coming out of the corner and lost the car. I had the speed at the end but like I said there was a mistake. I didn't have any problems, I went straight into a corner, that's all".
The outsiders will once again be the Red Bull Racing drivers, with Daniel Ricciardo in fourth position and Max Verstappen in fifth. Says the Australian driver, warning the competition:
"Up until now we've been missing something in qualifying, but we'll see what happens from Barcelona, when we have new components on the car. We really hope they will allow us to attack more. In Q2 I got a yellow flag when I put on the Supersofts, and that's why the lap wasn't good. In any case, it was very important for us to be able to get through the session on those tyres, so that we could use them at the start of the race. We succeeded, but only by a hair's breadth. In Q3, on the other hand, I touched the wall in turn 15 on my first attempt… I lost a lot of time there and it was a big risk. In the last run I managed to put together three clean sectors and it went well. Tomorrow it will be cold and it will be important to conserve the tyres, to avoid graining. It will be difficult to manage these conditions, which are so different from those we have had up to now, but if we manage to do it, then we will have a car that can allow us to win".
And Max Verstappen adds:
"The result isn't bad, even considering that the tyres weren't quite at the right temperature, a situation that's even more disadvantageous when you're on a street circuit like this. But it is still a good position to be able to fight in the race. On a track like this, anything could happen. In qualifying we are still missing a little something due to an issue of engine mapping, but the race pace is what we are strongest in. We hope to be able to repeat ourselves again tomorrow. All the drivers in the top five will start on the Supersofts and therefore we will be able to stay on track longer than Kimi, who is on the Ultrasofts. But we'll see what happens in the race. Vettel was very quick, but we haven't given up yet".
At the end of qualifying Romain Grosjean replaces the gearbox, therefore he will be penalized with the loss of five positions on the starting grid. Being admitted to the start, even in the absence of valid times for the deployment, in last position, this penalty has no practical effect. On Sunday 29 April 2018, at the start of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, poleman Sebastian Vettel maintains the lead of the race, ahead of the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas; there is contact between Kimi Räikkönen and Esteban Ocon, with the former who is immediately forced into the pits to replace the nose, while the latter ends up in a wall and abandons the race. Further behind Sergej Sirotkin hits Fernando Alonso: the Spaniard manages to return to the pits on two wheels only, while the Russian is forced to abandon. The race direction decides to let the safety car onto the track. The standings see Sebastian Vettel ahead of the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas, followed by the two Red Bull Racing, Carlos Sainz Jr., Lance Stroll, Nico Hülkenberg and Pierre Gasly. After 5 laps in the safety car, Sebastian Vettel manages to defend his first position, while Max Verstappen and Carlos Sainz Jr. pass Daniel Ricciardo, placing themselves fourth and fifth, respectively. Nico Hülkenberg passes Lance Stroll, conquering the seventh position. The Spaniard from Renault also manages to pass Max Verstappen on the straight, but the Dutchman immediately recovers his position. Only on lap nine did Carlos Sainz Jr. manage to pass Max Verstappen again, while the other Renault driver, Nico Hülkenberg, also managed to overtake the two Red Bull drivers, finding himself behind his teammate, in fifth place. The German driver's race ends on lap ten, when he hits a wall with the right rear tyre, destroying the suspension. A good duel begins between the two Red Bull Racings, with Daniel Ricciardo trying several times to pass Max Verstappen, even if both Anglo-Austrian cars report problems in recharging the batteries.
On lap 16, Carlos Sainz Jr. pitted to put on Soft tyres, while Kimi Räikkönen passed first Lance Stroll then Charles Leclerc, moving up to sixth place. During lap 21 Lance Stroll gave up another position, being overtaken by Sergio Pérez. After a couple of driving errors that caused him to distance himself from Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton made his pit stop on lap 23. The Briton rejoined the track in third place, immediately finding himself behind Max Verstappen. However, the Dutchman must continue to defend himself from his teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, who attacks him without success. During lap 30, Sebastian Vettel also returned to the pits and stopped, rejoining the track in second position, between the two Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas. During lap 35 Daniel Ricciardo passes Max Verstappen, at the first corner. Then, however, the Australian stops in the pits on lap 37, mounting Ultrasoft tyres. Max Verstappen returned to the pits on lap 36, also mounting Untrasoft tyres. Danuel Ricciardo rejoins the track in fifth position, behind the Dutchman. A lap later the two are the protagonists of an accident along the pit straight. Daniel Ricciardo, in an attempt to overtake, bumps into Max Verstappen: both are forced to retire. The Safety car is sent back to the track. Valtteri Bottas, race leader, who hasn't changed tyres yet, returns to the pits, followed by Sebastian Vettel, who is second, but who has already made the tyre change. Kimi Räikkönen, Sergio Pérez, Charles Leclerc and Romain Grosjean also stop. During the safety car regime, Romain Grosjean, who was sixth, lost control of his car while warming up the tyres, hit the protective wall and was forced to retire. The French pilot will say a few minutes later:
"It hurts me a lot and I want to apologize to the team. We were in the middle of an extraordinary race, starting last I was in sixth position. Seeing Perez on the podium, knowing I was fighting him, is very painful for everyone. The conditions were difficult, there was a lot of wind, the car was jerking left and right. I was warming up the tyres and hit a switch that I had flipped two positions. When I touched the brakes, the balance was stuck at the rear and this blocked the rear wheels, making me spin".
The drivers criticize the race direction for not displaying the red flag, given the presence on the track of a crane that has to move the damaged Haas. The classification, at the restart of the race, sees Valtteri Bottas in the lead, ahead of Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton, Kimi Räikkönen, Sergio Pérez, Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc and Lance Stroll.
At the restart Sebastian Vettel immediately tries to attack Valtteri Bottas, also to defend himself from the arrival of Lewis Hamilton, but goes wide at the first corner, climbing to fourth place. The German also lost another position on the following lap to Sergio Pérez. During lap 48, Valtteri Bottas hit a piece of debris on the long straight, which collapsed his right rear tyre, forcing him to abandon the Grand Prix, with three laps to go. Lewis Hamilton takes the lead and thus wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and conquers the triumph number 63 in his career. Kimi Räikkönen and Sergio Pérez complete the podium; for the Mexican it is a return to the podium after two years, when he conquered the third position right in Baku. Sebastian Vettel is fourth, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr., Charles Leclerc, Fernando Alonso, Lance Stroll, Stoffel Vandoorne, and Brendon Hartley. The contact between the two cars of the Red Bull Racing team, which led to the abandonment of both drivers, is a cause for great discussion at the end of the race. Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner defines it as unacceptable to have lost many championship points in this way.
"The team works great in managing the drivers. The other teams never allow free competition between team mates. We will talk about it, we will try to understand what we can do to improve in the future. For my part, I have already spoken to Daniel and I will certainly do so with the top management of the team as well".
Then, the British manager, referring to Daniel Ricciardo, says:
"If you go to Maranello you risk being number two. We saw what happened to Raikkonen in China! And if you go to Mercedes you compare yourself with Hamilton. He feels at the top of his career and wants a car with which to achieve his ambitions. But we have shown him that we are strong, the gap in motorsport is decreasing and we feel we are in contention for the championship. Fernando is a fantastic driver and is still at a high level. I don't know his contractual position for 2019, but the target is to keep Ricciardo".
Speaking, however, of Max Verstappen, Christian Horner admits:
"Max is in excellent shape, he's had some bad luck and he's made some mistakes but basically he's hungry, he's got talent. Sometimes he reminds me of Vettel: when he was young and with less experience he crashed. I'm sure he won't repeat certain mistakes".
For his part, Daniel Ricciardo says:
"After the accident, I didn't have a good time. But then I regained clarity. But all intelligent people know how it went...".
While Max Verstappen replies:
"I think it was cool to see on TV. It's much easier to judge in hindsight and from the outside than when he's driving himself at 320km/h. We were also running well, but unfortunately something went wrong at the time. Perhaps we should be less hasty when competing against. It doesn't matter how it happened. It's simply not a good thing for the team because we should never have ended up on each other. We had had some good battles before, tough but fair. There had also been some slight contact, nothing major, things that can happen. Certainly, however, none of us would have ever wanted to be the protagonist of an accident like this".
Pierre Gasly, following the accident with Kevin Magnussen, defines the Danish driver as the most dangerous he has ever raced with. The French explains the dynamics of what happened:
"I had a good start to the race, starting from P17 and I managed to get into the top ten on the first lap, but after that it was really difficult for me to defend the position. I couldn't do much to keep the cars behind on the straight and I was overtaken by quite a few rivals. After the last restart I had an accident with Magnussen: he forced me against the wall, damaging my bottom, a mirror and bending my steering. It was quite a frustrating race because with all those retirements and without the collision I could have been in the points. Kevin is the most dangerous driver I've ever raced against. On the restart after the Safety Car, he literally slammed me into the wall at 300km/h. I flanked him and he sent me into the wall. Both my front wheels went up in the air, I broke the right side mirror and bent the steering wheel. He said he didn't see me, because he had damage to the car and vibrations everywhere, but I'm not interested in his justifications. He rode the whole race in those conditions, so I think he knew exactly what he was doing. And he literally slammed me against the wall. He has always raced like this, always very hard. I'm not bothered by pilots who drive aggressively, but like this it really goes beyond all limits. You can't smash your colleague against the wall at 300 km/h. People like that should have half the points on the Superlicense or even be suspended".
As Kevin Magnussen replies:
"Obviously things aren't going the right way at the moment. We have a car that is doing well so I am looking forward to the rest of the season. We can accumulate points on a regular basis if we have problem-free weekends. I'm sure we will do well. It's been a difficult start to the season, especially when you see the potential in the car. We'll come back from that, it's just been a tough weekend. I have 100% found the desire to race again, that excitement that doesn't make you sleep the week before the race, a sensation I had as a child, but which in my first years in F1 I had lost by letting myself be pervaded by too much negativity, after a long time I am delighted to get on the plane and go to the races, I have an energy inside me that I have never had before in F1. F1 is my life, when I get into the cockpit I'm willing to give my all in every instant until I cross the finish line. If I had one wish it would be to race in the 1960s, in the deadliest era in the history of F1. I truly envy those guys, who defied death at every turn. Now, since there is no risk, the level has flattened out, because fear or courage are not elements that make selection".
At the end of the race, Kevin Magnussen was penalized 10 seconds on the race time, being held responsible for an accident with Pierre Gasly, at the restart after the second safety car. However, this penalty does not affect his classification. The Dane is also subtracted two points from the Superlicence. The FIA also penalizes Sergej Sirotkin for the accident with Fernando Alonso at the start. The Russian driver loses three positions at the start of the next Spanish Grand Prix and two points on the Superlicence.
Furthermore, Sergio Pérez suffers a two-point penalty on the Superlicence for overtaking under the safety car. And finally, Marcus Ericsson, in addition to the 10-second penalty imposed on him during the race, suffers a two-point deduction from the Superlicense for causing an accident. The Federation does not take measures against the two Red Bull drivers, protagonists of an accident in the final stages of the race. Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen only suffer a reprimand. Lewis Hamilton, on the other hand, criticizes the ways in which Sebastian Vettel led the group of cars, when returning to the pits, at the end of the first safety car period. The Briton criticizes, in particular, the jerking gait, held, in his opinion, by the German. Hamilton also asks the race director, Charlie Whiting, for clarification. Speaking, however, of his race and the victory obtained in Baku, the British driver underlines that it will be enough for him to perfect his car to make it invincible:
"We just have to try to perfect it and make it a little easier to ride. Surely it's not as simple as last year, so that's the aspect we'll continue to focus on. We still have a lot to do and we are late even if we finished ahead of them. As I said, it's about some favorable circumstances that get in the way. Kimi almost took pole and was even two tenths ahead of Sebastian, so at the moment their pace is much better than ours. Then, during the race, I'm sure Sebastian was managing, just as I'm sure their pace was also a little faster than ours. In any case we are there and we don't have a terrible car at all. It was a lottery, a lucky race for me. I was on the top step of the podium and thought that this should have been Valtteri's place, because he had earned it. So it's clearly different when you feel like you don't deserve the victory, and you understand that it was someone else who earned it. There have been days where I've been on the podium, but I've missed the grand prix. And the success went to someone else... And I noticed the happiness they showed, no matter whether they deserved the victory or not, with their finger raised to the sky... I'm different. I could have cheered like that… I won, and I took what came. But I like to win for being smarter than others, for having surpassed and beaten them. In some moments of the race I felt I could win, but I was convinced that the blocking had put me out of the fight. And I also had problems with the tyres. I repeated to myself to keep pushing anyway, and not to give up, because something could always happen. And so it was. It was a really exciting race. Valtteri did an outstanding job and he really deserved this win, but Sebastian was also great. I think I was very lucky today, I put my heart into it. I'm taking this victory, I never gave up, I kept pushing, but it was a bit of a lucky race".
Valtteri Bottas was undoubtedly unlucky, as he could have won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
"It was just bad luck. I think this track is difficult, like all road circuits in general, when there are accidents there can always be problems. And this time I was unlucky. I have no idea how he impacted the debris, I didn't see it. It looked like a good race, everything was under control. The Safety Car had just returned and then I punctured".
But Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff points out:
"Hamilton took back the victory in Melbourne, for me Bottas is the man of the day but he was once again unlucky, we would have fitted Ultrasoft tyres even without the Safety Car to go in search of victory against Vettel. The fight this year it's exciting, even if it obviously makes me nervous and consumes a lot of mental energy.There are six drivers who can win races".
Then, speaking of the opponents and synergies that have evolved between Haas and Ferrari, the Austrian manager says:
"We've seen that the relationship system between Ferrari and Haas has worked well for both in recent years. Ferrari had an extra source of revenue, but I think we can work well also from the point of view of synergies. And Haas certainly benefited from that… They are a very competitive team even without years of previous experience and know-how. Up to now the system has proved to be successful and obviously our ideas also go in this direction. Maybe it will be possible to collaborate with Williams or Force India. But, at the moment, we are in the midst of a very tough championship fight and, therefore, we must give priority to the track. We certainly have the ability to do something in 2019, but we're not there enough to work with both. The devil is in the details, it would not only be a question of producing the pieces but also of doing it well, without the risk of making mistakes".
Speaking instead of the accident involving the young and aggressive Max Verstappen, and the more experienced Daniel Ricciardo, Toto Wolff underlines that it takes time and patience to grow a driver:
"It's a long-term project, and not something to immediately expect a big impact as early as 2019. It will take at least two or three seasons to put everything in order but, if things are done right, then they can bring benefits. But we will have to work well, finding the right compromise to optimize synergy without distracting from the objectives on the track. I've been in Christian's (Horner) position. On the one hand, we want two equal drivers who aren't afraid to fight, but we have to remind them that hundreds of people work twenty-four hours a day to give them a car".
The result achieved by Scuderia Ferrari can only be disappointing for its fans. However, Sebastian Vettel does not give up, and points out:
"The result doesn't change anything, we have a good car. I'm not worried. The big difference compared to last year is that we are now fast enough for pole, whereas before it was a problem".
Speaking instead of the restart after the safety car regime, in which the German made a mistake and lost numerous positions, the Ferrari driver replies:
“Too much risk? Well, I think it wasn't too exaggerated as a manoeuvrer. The margin was there, I tried and it didn't work. Now it's too easy for everyone to say it was too much of a risk, but at that point at 330 km/h on the straight there's no reference on the left, and I didn't have too many alternatives to be honest. Lewis was on the right, Valtteri was in front and I couldn't go right. I tried to take the inside, but once I locked in, it was an unfortunate moment. After that the flat out, unfortunately I lost the position with Sergio. It was a great race, with good pace and good control from me, but that's how it goes sometimes".
And he adds:
"Yes, luck certainly lacked. I still had the opportunity to win. I tried, it didn't work, but I'm glad I tried. I'm not happy it didn't work, but now it's easy to say. Obviously it didn't work in the right direction, so I did something wrong. But I can't allow this to affect my judgment of my entire race, because it was a good race on our part".
Is Ferrari the best car at the moment?
"We do not know. It should be exciting for you, because we have three cars with the same wheelbase in the race. It was an intense race, Lewis was pushing a lot at the start. If we look at where we were compared to the others, we were in a category of our own. It was a lot of fun. In the last sector he got close, but I always responded to his attacks. It was a good race, I'm certainly not completely happy because I could have won and we didn't succeed".
Kimi Raikkonen also made some mistakes, especially at the start. But fortunately, the Finnish driver was able to recover and finish the race in second place:
"On the first lap after the restart, at the small bend before reaching the last part of the straight, I hit the inside wall at full speed, so I was lucky enough that the front wheel didn't go. I was inside and I don't know how he didn't see me. He hit me. He hit me on the side. Damaged car? I don't know, I didn't have bad feelings. I was having difficulty getting the tyres to the optimum temperature. In some laps they gave good sensations, in others I struggled more. It was that kind of problem".
Can we talk about luck?
"A bit of luck? I don't know, clearly there was the explosion in Valtteri's rubber. Then there was a fight between everyone, for my part I tried not to make mistakes. I pushed when it felt good. Sure it's not a victory, but a second place isn't bad after this race. The incident with Ocon? I was inside, he probably didn't see me. It's quite difficult sometimes on these roads. I took the inside, cornered, and found it on me. It wasn't an ideal start for me, but I was lucky that I was able to continue after changing wings. It was a difficult race, I tried to recover. There were some moments where I felt good, but I struggled a bit to get the tyres to warm up enough. I tried to emerge at a distance, standing there and waiting for other people's problems. In the end, this strategy paid off, but it wasn't easy at all".
The Scuderia Ferrari team principal, Maurizio Arrivabene, prefers to focus on the performance of his cars instead of talking about the episodes that affected the racing of his drivers:
"Like yesterday, also today our car proved to be very competitive and capable of doing well on any type of track. We were monitoring the race with Sebastian, but the two interventions of the safety car nullified the advantage. Kimi, after the accident on the first lap, recovered to second place and the team reacted with strength and coolness as early as Friday. Now let's look forward to the next race in Spain".
After two years of waiting, Sergio Perez managed to get back on the podium, conquering the third position with Force India. The Mexican driver, however, points out:
"I feel that I can do even more and that my chance will come, because I work hard, and I'm working hard to have an opportunity. I feel I deserve a car that allows me to show my full potential. Until now there hasn't been a chance in a top team, or a free vacancy. And if you want to make your mark in Formula 1, you have to be in one of these teams. Two years ago I finished on the podium. I think I did the best two laps of my career today, with Sebastian behind. With cold tyres it was very difficult. I had the Supersofts, I had to keep a very high pace to stay close to Raikkonen not to let Vettel get close enough. I am speechless for this result".
For the first time in his career, despite being a rookie, Charles Leclerc managed to score eight points by finishing sixth in his Sauber-Ferrari. An excellent result for the rookie Monegasque driver:
"It was incredible at the beginning of the race to be able to keep up with teams that usually we would not be able to follow. Baku is a weekend in itself, but this weekend can only fill us with enthusiasm for the rest of the season. I kept the Red Bulls as a point of reference and I didn't see them run away, ditto Raikkonen behind me didn't threaten. I remember when I dreamily watched him in Monaco at the age of five, already racing with him is intoxicating for me, being able to overtake him was a strange feeling to say the least. I had a clear advantage in terms of tyres, but it wasn't too difficult to defend sixth position in the final stages".
And adds:
"It's difficult to talk about, it was a race full of emotions, with the Supersoft tyres we were very fast while when we switched to the softs we lost pace. However in the end it was a very positive race. I knew right from the start that under normal conditions such a result would not have been possible. I had to be ready and able to take advantage of the events and opportunities that the race had in store for us and so I did. Above all, I thought about keeping myself out of trouble. I basically did qualifying laps from start to finish. Our car struggled with low fuel so we were more performing at the start of the race. We made a good start and made good use of the restarts after the safety car came out. It was difficult to keep the tyres at temperature".
But for Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur, it seems to come as no surprise:
"Let's be clear that this level of performance from Leclerc doesn't surprise me: he was excellent in qualifying on Saturday, then in the race he demonstrated the competitiveness that we had glimpsed on Friday in free practice. This result will allow him to continue the season with less pressure now that he has already shown that he is a thoroughbred. It will also be easier for the whole team to tackle the next races with two points placements. Baku is a low downforce circuit which suits our car, Montreal is similar, while in Barcelona we will struggle".
Thus ended the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with a lucky and victorious Lewis Hamilton who, taking advantage of the mistakes of others, won the race and took the lead in the standings of the World Drivers' Championship, with 70 points against the 66 points scored by Sebastian Vettel. The German driver himself should recriminate for the mistake he made in the race. After conquering the pole position, during the race he lost the first position, and following the neutralization of the race, during the restart, his excessive vehemence led him to commit an error of evaluation, which forced him to lose numerous positions, thus favouring both the recovery of his direct opponent, and later even his victory, given that Valtteri Bottas was forced to retire due to an unfortunate situation that sometimes happens in a Grand Prix. Scuderia Ferrari consoles itself by saying it has the confirmation of having designed a winning car and first place in the Constructors' World Championship standings, but you have to win the Grands Prix. Also because the opponents are working to be able to recover the distance, and despite this, they are already leading the standings. The circus will now move to Catalunya, where the Spanish Grand Prix will take place on Sunday 13 May 2018. A circuit which, historically, decides which car is more competitive and which, on the other hand, needs modifications to be competitive on all circuits.