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On Sunday, September 15, 2024, at the Baku street circuit, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will take place, marking the seventeenth race of the Formula 1 World Championship. Meanwhile, during the two weeks between the previous Italian Grand Prix and the next race, the FIA has concluded its investigation into the financial regulations for the 2023 season, announcing that none of the ten teams participating in the World Championship violated the Budget Cap rules. However, there were minor issues for two of the four engine manufacturers involved in Formula 1, who committed procedural infractions—usually related to delays in submitting the necessary documents for review—while remaining within the Budget Cap. The regulation regarding the spending cap for engine manufacturers is in its first year of implementation, as the new regulations for Honda, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Renault-Alpine came into effect in 2023. The companies involved are Honda HRC, which supplies Power Units to Red Bull and AlphaTauri (now Racing Bulls) in collaboration with Red Bull Power Trains, and Alpine. In both cases, the FIA found procedural violations, proposing a negotiated settlement for both manufacturers:
"Considering that neither party violated the Budget Cap, that both acted in good faith and cooperated to resolve the issue, given the nature of the infraction, the complexity of the financial regulation for power unit manufacturers, and the challenges associated with the first year of implementing this new rule, we have proposed resolving the infraction through an agreement between the parties".
In 2021, Williams committed a procedural infraction, which was eventually resolved with a fine of $25.000. The exact fine for Honda and Alpine will be announced once the matter is resolved between the FIA and the two manufacturers.
"The review of the Reporting Documentation was a thorough and intensive process spanning five months with all F1 Teams and all PU Manufacturers giving their full support in providing the required information. The Cost Cap Administration (the internal FIA division responsible since 2021 for evaluating the financial reports submitted by the teams and identifying any infractions against the spending limit imposed by the regulations) notes that all F1 Teams and all PU Manufacturers acted at all times in a spirit of good faith and cooperation throughout the process".
Meanwhile, on Thursday, September 5, 2024, Scuderia Ferrari officially announced its new technical leadership structure, with Loïc Serra as Technical Director Chassis.
"Scuderia Ferrari HP announces that it has entrusted the role of Technical Director Chassis to Loïc Serra. As previously announced, the French engineer, born in 1972, will join the team on October 1. In this new role, Loïc will report directly to Team Principal Fred Vasseur. Serra will therefore be responsible for the following departments: Chassis Project Engineering, headed by Fabio Montecchi; Vehicle Performance, headed by Marco Adurno; Aerodynamics, headed by Diego Tondi; Track Engineering, headed by Matteo Togninalli; and Chassis Operations, headed by Diego Ioverno, who also continues in the role of Sporting Director. The role of Technical Director Power Unit remains assigned to Enrico Gualtieri, who reports directly to Fred Vasseur".
Shareholder and Technical Manager Partner: This is the role in which Adrian Newey officially joins Aston Martin. The announcement was made on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, through a grand press conference:
"I am thrilled to join the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. I have been enormously inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence puts into everything he is involved in. Lawrence is determined to build a world-class team. He is the only majority owner of a team who is actively involved in the sport. His commitment is demonstrated by the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and the wind tunnel in Silverstone, which are not only cutting-edge but are designed to create an ideal working environment. Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a World Championship-winning team, and I can’t wait to contribute to achieving that goal. I have been very flattered by the number of teams that approached me, and I have had discussions with some of them. Not all of them. But ultimately, it was a very clear and natural choice to join Aston Martin for all the reasons I’ve already mentioned".
Signing Adrian Newey is a true statement of intent: with this move, the Aston Martin team shows they are serious about making the definitive leap from a mid-tier team to one capable of winning and marking an era in Formula 1.
This phase will kick off around March 2025, but the real results will only be seen in 2026, when Formula 1 introduces new regulations. Both the designer and Lawrence Stroll, though in different terms, admit that the team’s real goal is to focus on 2026, without completely disregarding 2025.
"As for the chassis, the aerodynamic regulations will be announced on January 1st or 2nd. I will be joining the team about two months later. So, it will be about catching up as quickly as possible. And, just as importantly, I will need to get to know the entire team, learn to work with everyone, and bring out the best in each other. The rules, of course, present an opportunity as it will be a reset for everyone. We don’t know if we will be able to take advantage of it, but I believe I don’t need to worry too much about such things: as always, we move forward and do the best job possible, and what will be, will be. In the end, every F1 team is the same, with three main departments—aerodynamics, mechanical design, and vehicle performance—so we will make sure there is synergy between these departments and with Honda regarding the power unit".
Honda’s power unit and a car designed with Adrian Newey’s input: two figures from Fernando Alonso’s past will be major allies for the Spanish driver starting in 2026, when everything changes in Formula 1, both in terms of power units and technical regulations for the cars. During his five-year stint as a driver for Scuderia Ferrari, Fernando Alonso fought against Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing for the World Drivers’ Championship twice, right up to the final race on the calendar (in 2010 and 2012).
"I’m not fighting against Vettel, but against Adrian Newey".
This was Alonso’s remark on the brilliance of the Red Bull Racing cars designed by the English engineer. Meanwhile, Honda’s power unit turned Fernando Alonso’s three years at McLaren (2015-2017) into a nightmare. Two decades after winning his second World Championship, in 2026, the Spanish driver could have a major opportunity to once again challenge for the Formula 1 World Championship.
"Newey has always raised the bar for everyone in the world of Formula 1, for both drivers and engineers. For me, working with Adrian is an incredible professional opportunity. We’ve been rivals for years, and he has been a source of inspiration for me. Newey is another piece of Lawrence Stroll’s vision that is coming together, alongside partners like Aramco and Honda, and futuristic investments like the new wind tunnel".
May 1, 2024, marks a pivotal date that could shift the balance in Formula 1. On that day, the official announcement of Adrian Newey’s departure from Red Bull Racing was made, which, given the team’s recent technical struggles, may symbolize the end of an era. And, more importantly, the start of another. However, Newey’s decision to leave Red Bull Racing had been made earlier. It stems from a power struggle within the team and his desire to take on a different challenge. A month before the announcement, he had already informed the team of his intention to leave.
"I decided to stop working for Red Bull after the Suzuka weekend in April. At that point, I really had no idea what would come next. I just wanted to take stock of things and enjoy some time off. I was hoping that somewhere a spark would ignite, telling me: Yes, this is the direction. Mandy (Newey’s wife, Amanda) was a big part of this process. I think she was worried I’d drive her crazy if I spent too much time at home. Being involved in race car design has been my ambition since I was about ten years old. And I’ve been lucky enough to achieve it. I wouldn’t say I’ve enjoyed every single day of my career, but over 90% of it has been extremely satisfying. I still enjoy the challenge of trying to improve the car’s performance. That’s my main motivation, and what gets me up in the morning".
By securing Adrian Newey, Aston Martin has made its future ambitions clear. The British team aims to be a leading contender under the new Formula 1 regulations starting in 2026, and neither Lawrence Stroll nor the British engineer hides their ambition to build a winning partnership. It’s a partnership the team owner began trying to form in 2021, though the timing wasn’t right back then.
"I’ve been trying to talk to Adrian for a couple of years, and I believe that when things are meant to happen, they happen. We started talking briefly about three years ago. The most recent discussions began after I read the news of Adrian’s departure from Red Bull. Once I saw the news, I thought: I believe it’s fate. Adrian will share my vision. There were about 800 people when I announced to the team that Adrian was coming here. There was a wave of applause. I’ve never seen such enthusiasm for an announcement since I’ve been here. Of course, we’ve never had the fortune to make an announcement of this magnitude, but I saw everyone leave with a big smile on their faces. Now I hope they go back to their desks and figure out how to design something a bit faster".
The Canadian manager explained how Adrian Newey represents the final key addition, following the signings of Fernando Alonso, Andy Cowell as CEO, Enrico Cardile as Chief Technical Officer, Mike Krack as team principal, Dan Fallows as technical director, Luca Furbatto as engineering director, the partnership with Honda for the power unit, and the construction of the Silverstone headquarters:
"Adrian is a gentleman, a winner, competitive, and has the passion and desire to win, just like me and most people at Aston Martin. We began this journey six years ago with this team in a much smaller facility, in a much smaller building, and that’s where the journey began. Throughout this journey, we’ve brought in some great managers, some great people. We’ve put together a fantastic team, and the construction of this facility demonstrated our true intentions. So did the hirings, but also these investments, which will allow us to build 100% of the car here. We’ll have the first, the largest, the newest wind tunnel built in over twenty years. It’s a huge tool for making the car faster".
Switching to more current events, McLaren’s team orders seem to have backfired, at least from a media perspective. The track rules between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, which Andrea Stella mentioned after qualifying for the Italian Grand Prix when his drivers locked out the front row, fell apart just a few meters after the start of the race. This sparked inevitable mockery from rivals, with Christian Horner commenting after the race:
"I don’t know what these Papaya Rules are, but I know they helped us".
Rules or not, after ten days of reflection, McLaren’s Team Principal arrives in Baku aware of the need to start issuing orders to fully capitalize on the great potential of the MCL38 at the end of races.
"The Papaya Rules involve our drivers racing without taking unnecessary risks and with mutual respect, ensuring there’s no contact between our two cars. It’s a quick way to remind the guys not to overdo it when fighting each other. In general, the idea is that we are incredibly determined to win, but we also want to do it the right way. From now on, we’ll shift more support toward Lando, but we want to do so without excessively compromising our principles. And our principles say that the team’s interests come first. Sportsmanship is a key value for us, and we want to ensure we’re fair to both of our drivers".
In short, fairness toward the drivers is good, but a little more pragmatism might be needed after what was seen at the start of the Italian Grand Prix, with Oscar Piastri’s pass on Lando Norris at the Roggia chicane, which cost Norris second place and favored Charles Leclerc’s race.
"We don’t want to see situations where we enter a corner in first and second positions and finish first and third. It was damaging to the team, and we need to resolve situations like that because it was the way we approached the race that left the door open for something like this to happen. After Monza, we set three goals. First, we need to ensure that nothing that happens on track between the drivers damages the team. Second, we need both drivers to be committed to helping win both championships. And finally, we don’t want to win irresponsibly. We’re going to Baku with these three principles in mind, and we’ll see if we need to further adjust our approach after the Grand Prix".
McLaren is about to change its philosophy regarding driver management. With eight races left in the World Championship, Team Principal Andrea Stella perceives the possibility not only of winning the Constructors' Championship but also of seriously challenging Max Verstappen’s leadership in the Drivers' Championship. However, this will require starting to issue team orders that can support Lando Norris’s ambitions, beginning with the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While not renouncing the now-infamous Papaya rules that indirectly contributed to the unfortunate situation at Monza, the Italian engineer secures the willingness of both drivers to cooperate more effectively.
"The conversations with Piastri and Norris about this have been very positive. Even when I asked Oscar: Would you be willing to concede a victory? He replied: It would be painful, but if it’s the right thing to do, then I’ll do it. All drivers have a strong connection with the idea of winning, so I was very impressed by the level of team spirit and also the maturity and collaboration I found during this period".
Team orders will obviously benefit Lando Norris, who is closer to Max Verstappen in the overall standings, though still 62 points behind. Andrea Stella clarifies, however, that there will be no extreme team orders in favor of the young British talent:
"Lando wants to win, but only if he deserves the success based on what he has shown on track. He would be fine with occasionally being supported by his teammate, but he doesn’t want a systematic adjustment of the race result that could take points away from Oscar. It wouldn’t be the way McLaren wants to win, nor the way Lando wants to win. If I asked Lando, I’m sure he would be fine if, at Abu Dhabi, he lost by a few points that he could have gained through some unfair team intervention (against Piastri). I think he would tell me: ‘You know what? We’re strong as a team, we’re stable and cohesive, and we’ll try again next year.’ We need to be careful not to lose sight of the fact that, while focusing the conversation and attention on the drivers, there are at least three teams competing for the Constructors' Championship".
In short, from free-to-race, the focus shifts to championship considerations. From the Azerbaijan Grand Prix onwards, the Woking team will give more support to the British driver. On his part, the Australian knows well that Lando Norris is much better positioned in the standings and has already proven his skill and cunning against his teammate: indeed, he has agreed to help, while emphasizing that there is some degree of freedom within the team orders.
"The team asked me to help, and in the last races, I said that if they asked me, I would do it. As a driver, it’s never an easy thing to accept, but the picture is much broader. I continue to race to achieve the best results possible for myself and for the team. But I know that if there are ways to help Lando gain points, I will help him. With the current setup, I think the first lap at Monza would have gone differently: for the team, coming out of the Roggia in first and third positions was not ideal. For me, however, it allowed me to be in a winning position, and I didn’t break any agreement because we were free to race against each other: we didn’t finish second and third because of this maneuver, but because of a bold strategy by Ferrari. Some things will be different from now on, but first, we’ll see what race circumstances we face".
But, it is said, in this new pact, Lando Norris will have to earn the help:
"What would happen if I were ten seconds ahead of Lando? We still need to discuss it a bit more. It’s very important for the entire team to avoid this scenario, if possible. And, after talking with Lando and Andrea, I know that no one wants the race to be decided by this, including Lando. It will be up to the team, but it doesn’t mean I’ll relinquish the race, regardless of the circumstances. There is still some degree of movement and flexibility, because in the end, we all agree that as a team, if someone has done a clearly better job over the weekend, they deserve to be rewarded".
Team orders, yes, but without forcing the issue. Both Team Principal Andrea Stella and Oscar Piastri emphasize that the decision means, in practical terms, more support for Lando Norris, avoiding risky duels. The British driver himself wants his victories to be earned on track, with the help of the team but without any gifts.
"Oscar is a driver fighting for his championship, for his career. And that’s a very valid reason why he wants to fight and do well. People outside think it’s easy, but it’s not. We’ve worked out a good plan to handle all this: it’s very important for us to maintain fairness and sportsmanship. I think in any sport, once you know you’ve done something unfair, it stays in your mind forever. But that’s not how I work, and it’s not how McLaren works. We help each other within the limits of teamwork. I think when another driver has an advantage and performs better, or drives faster, they’re doing a better job. If I’m behind and not doing a good job, that’s where I deserve to be".
Lando Norris also speaks about Andrea Stella’s skill in this process:
"Andrea is very good. I probably wouldn’t ask anyone else to do his job and make these kinds of decisions. I believe he is one of the most integral parts in keeping a team together, motivating it, pushing it, and making it almost the best team in Formula 1 at the moment. I have a lot of confidence in him, we work well together. I think the most important thing we have is mutual honesty: when one agrees or disagrees, we tell each other and come out with the best solution. I’m very happy with how he works, he’s a smart guy and knows how to race. He’s worked with many incredible drivers in the past, so he also understands drivers’ mindsets. I couldn’t ask for a better boss".
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen had left Monza with a concerned appeal to the entire Red Bull Racing team about the state of competitiveness of the RB20. In the following hours, the Dutch driver also spoke about the transformation from a dominant car to a beast of his single-seater. And now, in Baku, Max Verstappen seeks to dispel the nightmare of Lando Norris and McLaren, who recovered 8 points from him at Monza.
"This is not a matter for me, but looking at it from Piastri’s perspective, he is much closer in the standings to Norris than Lando is to me. Anyway, Piastri is a driver who cannot be simply framed as a number 2".
And regarding Adrian Newey’s announcement within Aston Martin’s structure, the Dutch driver says:
"The news didn’t surprise me because I knew the official announcement was coming. I spoke briefly with Adrian; it’s normal to seek new challenges. I know Lawrence Stroll is pushing hard to make Aston Martin a winning team, and I wish him the best".
After that, Max Verstappen also shares his opinion on the Budget Cap:
"For Budget Cap reasons, we can’t completely overhaul the car; I don’t know how long it will take to return to our usual levels of competitiveness, but I hope we’ve at least taken the right direction. The start of the season won’t be replicable because others have improved, but at the same time, we can definitely be better than what we’ve shown in the last few outings".
In recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix events, Charles Leclerc has consistently been a standout. The Monegasque driver has secured the last three pole positions on the Baku city circuit, and at least on two occasions without having the fastest car: rivals' superiority in race pace (coupled with an engine failure in 2022) has forced the Scuderia Ferrari driver to systematically fall back during the race, achieving third place in 2023, his best result in Baku. For the 2024 edition, Charles Leclerc would likely trade a pole position for a more solid race result, just as he did in Monza, where the Monegasque driver triumphed for the second time in his career despite starting from fourth on the grid.
"I really hope so. In the past, we’ve been quite strong in qualifying here, but on Sundays we’ve always had problems with tire management, which, however, is one of our strengths this year. I hope this doesn’t mean we’ll struggle on Saturday, but I expect a good weekend for us. We don’t expect to be at the level of the McLarens or Red Bulls, but closer to what we’ve seen in the last three races, excluding Monza. The goal is to try to have a better Sunday compared to previous years. It’s nice to have this boost after Monza, but my job is also to start from zero because on a track like this, you can pay the price of enormous motivation and expectations. It’s true that between the Monza win and my liking for a track where I’ve been particularly strong in the past, you have this momentum and hope everything goes well, but I focus only on the present, trying not to think too much about the past. I just aim to prepare for this weekend in the best possible way and then we’ll see where we end up".
The official announcement of Adrian Newey’s move to Aston Martin is obviously one of the main discussion topics in the paddock. Therefore, questions about the negotiations between Scuderia Ferrari and the English designer, which didn’t come to fruition, are not lacking. Charles Leclerc does not hide and speaks openly to journalists about the matter:
"No disappointment; I know we talked with Adrian, but then he made his decision and I respect it. He felt Aston Martin was a better fit, while for me Ferrari remains number one. It’s a pity for Adrian, but I believe much more in the team than in any single individual".
The Monegasque driver, fresh from a fantastic win in Monza, instead offers words of encouragement to the team:
"We have many super-talented people in Maranello, and I’m sure this is a winning team. Fred is doing an outstanding job, building a great team for the coming years, and we will do everything to show Newey that he was wrong not to come to Ferrari".
In his career, Adrian Newey has never worked with either Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso. Given that both Scuderia Ferrari and Aston Martin were contenders for the British designer from the beginning, it was clear that Newey would fulfill at least one of his wishes.
Lewis Hamilton takes Adrian Newey’s decision with a philosophical approach. The English driver would have clearly liked to work with the British designer but is not worried about the future Scuderia Ferrari driver:
"I believe everyone wants to work with Adrian. It would have been great, but it’s just an individual. What excites me the most is working with a whole team of passionate people who haven’t won a championship in a long time. It’s fantastic to join them and try to embark on that journey together".
Regarding the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the English Mercedes driver adds:
"We come from not-so-great results in the last two races. We are working very hard to have a good car again, and I believe we are trying to optimize it. We’ve never done a spectacular job here in Azerbaijan, but I think we’re asking all the right questions. We’ll try to maximize the practice sessions and hope to have a better weekend than the last two. We’ll revisit some of the changes made in those two weekends, including updates, to understand which ones are right".
There have been spring days when Adrian Newey was closer than ever to Scuderia Ferrari. The interest was clearly mutual and was never denied: the British designer admitted that Ferrari is the most important brand in the world, while Frédéric Vasseur has always acknowledged the designer’s brilliance. However, the marriage between the two parties did not materialize because a difference in views emerged that went beyond the technical discussion: it involved organizational aspects (overlap with existing roles and tasks) and also financial aspects, as Adrian Newey placed great importance on acquiring a 2.5% stake in the team. This does not mean that discussions with Scuderia Ferrari were not advanced. They were, but they encountered an insurmountable obstacle, while Lawrence Stroll was the first to exploit the impasse to convince Adrian Newey. In this regard, the designer’s manager, Eddie Jordan, summarizes how the negotiations unfolded:
"The fact that Adrian Newey has not yet worked with Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso was significant to see what would happen. Of course, we discussed extensively with Ferrari, but Aston Martin and Fernando offered what Adrian considers to be the essence of his challenges. He wanted to take a team from the top five to the top positions, as he did with Red Bull. An important aspect is that Lawrence gave him a stake, a position of total responsibility and control, a seat on the board. It’s clear that this is very different from what he had before. I can imagine and assume that it’s a team very similar to the one he found when he joined Red Bull. It was a team in the top five, just like Aston Martin, with a great vision and a great ambition from the owner: Didi (Mateschitz, ed.) and Lawrence are very similar types of people, successful entrepreneurs with a great mindset, passion, conviction, and total devotion to success. I believe this is what Adrian will bring to Aston Martin over time".
As known, Haas driver Kevin Magnussen is excluded from participating in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. In the previous Italian Grand Prix, the Danish driver was penalized with a ten-second time penalty and two penalty points on his superlicense for causing a collision with Alpine driver Pierre Gasly. Therefore, with a total of twelve penalty points accumulated on his superlicense within a twelve-month period, the maximum allowed according to the sporting regulations, Kevin Magnussen is forced to miss a race. The Danish driver is the first to be excluded from a Grand Prix since Romain Grosjean was excluded in the 2012 season, and the first overall since the points penalty system was implemented. Kevin Magnussen's seat is filled by the reserve driver for Scuderia Ferrari and Haas, British driver Oliver Bearman. On Friday, September 13, 2024, Max Verstappen sets the fastest time during FP1. The World Champion leads Lewis Hamilton, while Red Bull Racing teammate Sergio Pérez finishes third. The two McLaren Racing drivers are further back, although they did not use Soft tires.
The track, however, does not provide optimal mechanical grip: compared to the similar session in 2023, drivers are already three seconds slower on average. The session also experiences three interruptions, due to red flags: the first caused by debris on the track, the second by Charles Leclerc's off-track excursion at Turn 15; the third occurs when Williams driver Franco Colapinto loses control of his car at Turn 4. In this case, the impact with the barriers causes more significant damage to the car. During FP2, Charles Leclerc (who, after the first few minutes of the session, has his steering box changed) records the fastest time, just 0.006 seconds ahead of Sergio Pérez and 0.060 seconds ahead of Lewis Hamilton; Carlos Sainz Jr. finishes the session with the fifth-best time. The Spanish driver precedes Max Verstappen, who also makes a driving error due to the distraction caused by the sun’s rays, leading him to switch to a darker visor. During the session, there is an incident, fortunately without consequences, between Oscar Piastri and Pierre Gasly. In Baku, even on the first day of practice, the Adrian Newey topic continues to dominate the Formula 1 paddock. Commenting on this week’s news is also Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff, who, according to rumors, had initially tried to enter the bidding war to secure the services of the English designer. In Toto Wolff's opinion, the real major acquisition made by Lawrence Stroll would be the hiring of Andy Cowell, who was the guru of the Mercedes power unit department until 2020 (and thus a key figure in the long period of dominance of the Anglo-German team). At Aston Martin, we will see him again starting October 1, 2024, in a completely new role as CEO of the English team, replacing the outgoing Martin Whitmarsh, and Toto Wolff believes his contribution could be decisive:
"For me, the most important person in the team is Andy Cowell, who worked at Mercedes on engines and is an incredibly skilled manager. As CEO, he will be very effective because he understands perfectly how the organization, structure, and processes of an F1 team work. Adrian Newey obviously has aerodynamic talent, but I know how Andy works, and I believe that with these two figures, Aston Martin could be in contention for the championship. As for 2026? It's good that Cowell is going to Aston Martin and not to Red Bull Power Train, but I think the regulatory changes will be significant since there will also be changes to fuels, which will be 100% synthetic. It is possible that there will be a complete revolution in team performance".
There is no comment on the driver market and the possibility that Aston Martin might enter the announced bidding war to lure Max Verstappen away from Red Bull Racing:
"We focus on Kimi and George (Antonelli and Russell). They are our main priorities. They are both very fast drivers".
The first day of free practice in Baku ended controversially for Max Verstappen. The Dutch Red Bull Racing driver finished first in FP1 but sixth in FP2, a session in which he nearly crashed into the barriers. Speaking at the end of the day, Max Verstappen highlights the problems of the Baku track and his feelings, which seem better compared to the last races:
"The track is slippery; just a small lock-up can make you hit the wall. So, you need to brake a bit more cautiously. I definitely had some difficulties in FP2 and we need to work on the balance. If we manage to do that, we can be competitive".
It was not a memorable Friday for Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque driver, after hitting the wall with his Ferrari during FP1, started FP2 encountering issues with the car. After five minutes of discussions with his track engineer, he decided to return to the pits.
"There’s not much to say about the accident. I braked a bit too much to the right, and the track was so dirty that I locked up and it was too late to correct. So, I ended up in the wall. It was not a good start to the weekend, but I still had a lot of confidence in the car, so there were no major problems. The issue was that when we started FP2, there was a real problem with the car, which we identified later once I stopped, and we changed that particular part".
And he adds:
"It had nothing to do with the previous accident, so the mechanics did a great job: it was about a new part we had just installed on the car. I don’t want to go into too many details, but it gave a very strange feeling with the steering wheel. We changed it, got back on track, and everything went well. So it was okay, though I didn’t get as many laps as I would have hoped for this Friday, but we were competitive".
Yes, competitive. However, Scuderia Ferrari will need to be competitive for the rest of the weekend. Still, Charles Leclerc does not seem afraid:
"The margins are very tight, but it’s difficult to understand them, considering the different engine maps of everyone. It’s one of the tracks I like, and in the past, we’ve been quite fast, but that doesn’t mean it will be the same tomorrow, so we still need to work on the car. There’s a lot to improve: the driving needs to be significantly better, but we are fast, and that’s a good sign. Hopefully, tomorrow we can do something more".
In FP1, Carlos Sainz Jr. finished fifth and managed to improve by one position in FP2 (which ended with a warning for impeding Pérez in turn 13), confirming the feelings he had during the day, as explained to the media after the sessions:
"There were a few mistakes today, but we weren’t the only ones. It was very difficult to drive because the track was very dirty and slippery, and we were five seconds slower than last year, as shown by the data. We had brake issues during FP1, but we managed to improve later in FP2. Also, I wasn’t 100% with my neck, and I didn’t sleep well last night and had trouble moving my head, but I felt better as the day went on, and I’m ready for tomorrow".
The Spanish driver, however, remains optimistic about the upcoming qualifying session, which will present almost a new challenge for all drivers:
"No one has managed to put together two laps, so tomorrow when we switch to soft tires from Q1 to Q3, we’ll see everyone’s potential. We’re confident that we have a good pace to compete with McLaren and Red Bull this weekend. It will also be important to complete the lap at the right moment because there could be yellow or red flags. Today was the usual challenging Friday in Baku. We started with very little grip, and the track continuously evolved throughout the day. It wasn’t easy to find the right feel with the car. I’m confident that, by continuing to work like this, we can have a good qualifying session tomorrow".
Judging by the results, the first day of practice at the Baku track does not seem particularly memorable for the two McLaren drivers. In reality, the timing data might be somewhat misleading, not only because FP results are historically not very indicative. For instance, Lando Norris finished FP2 in P17, but the final result was heavily affected by a misunderstanding with Pierre Gasly on the long straight leading to the finish line: after setting the fastest sector times in the first and second sectors, the young English driver had to lift off the throttle to avoid a high-speed collision with the French driver’s car, effectively aborting his qualifying simulation. A dangerous situation that might also be linked to a minor technical issue with Pierre Gasly’s A524, who indeed apologized over the radio, attributing the misunderstanding to having a completely drained battery.
"I believe Pierre didn’t use all the power on the straight. He didn’t assess the situation well, but it doesn’t matter because I had already completed my lap".
Despite the result, the English driver is not particularly satisfied with his car’s performance:
"We are quite far off. Even though I didn’t push too hard to set a time, I believe Oscar’s level is roughly representative of where we are today. There is a lot of room for improvement compared to Ferrari, Mercedes, and Red Bull, all of which are very similar. For now, the gap to them is three or four tenths, so there’s a lot of work to do".
Oscar Piastri seems to have a less negative impression, finishing FP2 in fifth place but impressing especially during the early laps of the long run, managing to drive consistently before experiencing tire degradation.
"I think it was a decent day, even though it’s a bit difficult to know anything precise at the moment, with the track not having much evolution. We think we are roughly in the fight, although Ferrari, Red Bull, and Mercedes have been quite strong. I think there are four teams that seem to be going quite well. The race simulation was competitive and positive, but others also set good laps. On this track, getting everything right is crucial; if you manage to do that, you can make a significant difference. We’ll try tomorrow".
Meanwhile, every time the engines fire up in Azerbaijan, Sergio Pérez seems to regain a competitiveness often lost elsewhere, being the only driver to have won twice in the seven races held so far on the Baku city circuit, also achieving one second place and two thirds. This special feeling with the long straights and tricky 90-degree corners continued into the Friday practice sessions of the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Checo finishing FP1 in third place and FP2 in second, just 0.006 seconds behind Charles Leclerc (who, however, completed his qualifying simulation later, at a time when the track was more rubbered in and cleaner). In summary, it's a day where the Mexican driver has tried to put behind him the disappointing performances of recent months, signaling a weekend ahead as a strong contender.
"It was definitely a good and solid day. We made good progress from the first practice to the afternoon session, so we just need to make sure we can continue improving from here".
Encouraged by the positive start to the weekend, Checo is optimistic about enhancing his personal record on the Baku circuit:
"I think we can definitely be among the protagonists. We’re heading in the right direction and finding that we can get a bit more out of the car setup. There’s still a long way to go, but what we’ve seen so far is promising.” Even to the point of possibly fighting for pole position: “In qualifying, anything can happen, so we need to keep our heads down and hope to put together two good laps. Actually, in Q3, you only need one…".
The Mercedes team, and especially Lewis Hamilton, had a great start to the weekend. The English driver recorded the second-fastest time in FP1 and the third-fastest in FP2, just 0.066 seconds behind Charles Leclerc’s best performance.
"Today was a good day; I enjoyed being out on the track. For once, it seemed like we didn’t have a gap to close at the beginning. I’m not sure how my long run compared to the others, but we didn’t do a lot of laps. The Red Bull looks quite fast, as does the Ferrari, but we’re right there. We don’t know what level of fuel the others had. We might see some improvements in qualifying that we haven’t seen so far. We need to stay cautious and make the best of the weekend. I hope we’ll be close to the top as it seems. The old floor? It’s hard for me to say how the car would have been here with the other floor; it’s difficult to find differences between the two. But I’m not unhappy with what we’re using".
The same can’t be said for George Russell, who had to replace his Power Unit shortly before FP2 began due to issues that started towards the end of the morning session, which ended in eighth place. It’s been an uphill weekend for the British Mercedes driver, who didn’t elaborate on what happened:
"For now, I can’t provide details. Obviously, we had to delay the session, and there was also an issue towards the end. It definitely wasn’t our best Friday, although Lewis seemed quite fast. As a result, we know the car has good potential, though Ferrari still looks quite strong here in Baku".
However, Lewis Hamilton’s positive performances on the Baku street circuit give George Russell some hope, despite struggling with various obstacles throughout the day:
"The problem was the engine towards the end of FP1 when there was a sensor failure. We went to the pits because we thought there was a water leak, but there wasn’t. So, the feeling was good but not exceptional for me; I struggled. I definitely didn’t have Lewis’s pace; I was struggling to gain confidence in the car and get the tires in the right window, so I need to improve for tomorrow to try to close the gap".
With Adrian Newey’s future settled and the doubts about the record-setting designer who made Red Bull Racing successful finally cleared, Christian Horner is now focused on change. The Red Bull Racing Team Principal is concentrated on the championship battle, which has suddenly reopened after a poor performance at the Italian Grand Prix:
"That was a difficult weekend for us, but I believe that out of every negative situation, something positive emerges. I think the negativity of Monza highlighted some key areas of the car that we’ve been dealing with for a while, giving us a clear direction for development. Everyone in the team is determined and pushing hard, hoping to turn things around".
It seems things have already changed since the initial tests in Baku, where Max Verstappen and especially Sergio Perez expressed satisfaction with an RB20 that had recently struggled with balance issues.
"I think there are several aspects to consider. One is the absolute downforce applied to the car through updates, another is balance. At the beginning of the year, we had a more balanced car, but then the increase in downforce didn’t correlate with what we had seen in simulations. Sometimes the correlation between the track and simulation tools, mainly the wind tunnel and CFD, falls short, and other teams have had similar difficulties. But there has been a great effort to understand and resolve this issue".
Despite recent problems, the World Championship fight remains open:
"Am I enjoying it? No, you never enjoy it when the cars aren’t working. But we’re absolutely ready; I’ve never seen a team as motivated as this one. And things change very quickly. For example, this year, Max has won seven Grands Prix while the maximum for any other driver is two wins. Everything is at stake… Verstappen has a good lead in the championship, but nothing is to be taken for granted with eight races to go. So, we are aware that a couple of negative weekends can make the situation very complicated. The Constructors' Championship is a three-way battle, and even though we have an eight-point lead over McLaren, we can’t overlook Ferrari, which has quietly entered the fight. It will be a battle with no holds barred".
On Saturday, September 14, 2024, during FP3, George Russell set the fastest time, beating Charles Leclerc by just 0.013 seconds. Behind the Monegasque driver were the two McLaren Racing drivers. The track was still underperforming compared to pre-race predictions, and the session was interrupted twice with red flags. The first interruption was to recover Esteban Ocon’s car, which had stopped on track due to a power unit issue, and the second was caused by Oliver Bearman’s error at Turn 1, with his car suffering some damage after hitting the barriers. A few hours later, when Q1 began, Valtteri Bottas set the first time of 1'44"876, a limit soon bettered by Yuki Tsunoda. Then Franco Colapinto lowered the time to 1'44"204. Max Verstappen broke the 1'44"0 barrier, only to be surpassed by his Red Bull Racing teammate, Sergio Pérez, with a time of 1'43"436. Shortly after, Charles Leclerc positioned himself between the two Red Bull drivers, while the McLaren Racing drivers recorded the fourth and fifth fastest times. Fernando Alonso was sixth, while Carlos Sainz Jr. made a mistake on his first attempt but quickly recovered to second place. As the track improved, Franco Colapinto set the third fastest time, Alex Albon moved up to eighth, and Oscar Piastri climbed to fifth, later overtaken by Lando Norris. Carlos Sainz Jr. made another driving error, while Sergio Pérez confirmed his competitiveness by improving his time to 1'43"213. However, the Mexican driver was outpaced by Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who moved into second place. The Mercedes drivers, after initially using medium tires, switched to softs. Lewis Hamilton soon set the fourth fastest time, and both Racing Bulls drivers improved, with Daniel Ricciardo moving to seventh and Yuki Tsunoda to fourth. Meanwhile, Esteban Ocon hit a wall but was able to continue, while Valtteri Bottas qualified in the top ten, aided by a tow from Guanyu Zhou. The two Williams drivers continued to improve: Alex Albon set the second fastest time, and Franco Colapinto posted the third fastest time, only to be positioned between them by Nico Hülkenberg.
Oliver Bearman then climbed to ninth, while Max Verstappen reclaimed third place. With the improving track, even the top teams’ drivers were forced to push for quick laps in the final seconds of Q1. Oscar Piastri posted the third fastest time, while Lando Norris chose not to complete his lap after slowing down due to yellow flags, preventing him from progressing to Q2. Besides the McLaren driver, Daniel Ricciardo, Valtteri Bottas, Guanyu Zhou, and Esteban Ocon were also eliminated. In Q2, Carlos Sainz Jr. set a time of 1'43"225, followed by Alex Albon, just 0.008 seconds behind. Charles Leclerc, on used tires, was 0.2 seconds off the pace. George Russell then set the fastest time, only to be beaten by Oscar Piastri, who clocked 1'42"598. Lewis Hamilton was fifth, while Oliver Bearman moved up to third. Max Verstappen later took the top spot with a time of 1'42"042, followed by Sergio Pérez. George Russell mentioned on the radio that the track’s improvement seemed to have plateaued. Nevertheless, Carlos Sainz Jr. moved up to third, with Charles Leclerc climbing to second, just 0.014 seconds behind the World Champion’s time. Pierre Gasly briefly took seventh but was quickly overtaken by Alex Albon, while George Russell moved up to fourth, and Yuki Tsunoda took eighth. Franco Colapinto set the fifth fastest time but was soon outpaced by Fernando Alonso. Oliver Bearman, with the eleventh fastest time, was eliminated, along with Yuki Tsunoda, Pierre Gasly, Nico Hülkenberg, and Lance Stroll. In Q3, George Russell was the first to set a valid time with a 1'41"962, while Lewis Hamilton was 0.5 seconds slower. Oscar Piastri was faster, with a 1'41"827, but Charles Leclerc took provisional pole with a time of 1'41"610. Carlos Sainz Jr. placed second, while Fernando Alonso was sixth. Max Verstappen was fifth, 0.6 seconds off Leclerc’s time. Sergio Pérez managed to go quicker than his teammate shortly afterward. Moments later, Williams sent Alex Albon back on track but forgot to remove the fan still attached to the air intake. The Thai driver had to stop at the end of the pit lane and remove the obstruction himself. Meanwhile, George Russell improved his time but remained in fourth, with Lewis Hamilton also failing to gain positions. Oscar Piastri moved up to second, followed by Carlos Sainz Jr.. Charles Leclerc, now assured of starting from pole position, further improved his time, while Sergio Pérez was faster than Max Verstappen.
After his victory at Monza, Charles Leclerc has also secured pole position in Baku, marking his fourth consecutive pole at this track. It's a golden moment for the Monegasque driver, who can now consider a possible championship comeback, given the disappointing results of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who was even eliminated in Q1. Joining him on the front row will be Oscar Piastri, setting up what looks like a rematch of the Italian Grand Prix.
"This is one of my favorite tracks of the season. It hasn’t been an easy weekend; the incident in FP1 forced me to recover some rhythm. In FP2, we had issues with a new part we brought, which cost us another half hour. I wasn’t worried, but I knew there was work to do. The pace was always there, and in qualifying, Q3 was just about avoiding the walls. On the last lap, I pushed more, and the time came naturally. The car felt great, and it’s fantastic to be on pole. First and third is the best result we could hope for. The even side of the grid has less grip, so being first and third is the best position. We hope to play our cards right to win. In the past, we’ve been strong in qualifying but struggled in the race. This year the car is good, so we hope to make it work tomorrow. Tire management will be crucial again tomorrow. We did a great job in Monza, and we’ll need to do the same here. We’ll do our homework tonight to be ready for tomorrow. In 2021 and 2023, we didn’t have the car to win, but due to lucky circumstances, we found ourselves on pole. In 2022, we had a good car, but unfortunately, the engine blew up. Tomorrow we’ll see: I haven’t yet done a lap with a full tank, so adapting quickly will be important, but this year we’re stronger in race pace than in a single lap. That gives me confidence. There’s always a difference between what’s written on paper and what actually happens, but I’ll do everything I can to be fully prepared tomorrow and finish the job".
Leclerc’s strong familiarity with the Baku circuit also helped him recover from the incident in FP1:
"I don’t consider it a home Grand Prix, but it’s definitely a track where I feel comfortable. After the mistake, I was still quite confident because I regained confidence in that corner in FP2 and FP3. I was happy with the car; I didn’t change almost anything from FP1, and it was practically the same car up to qualifying. That’s quite rare, but I felt good and knew that with my driving, I could adjust the car’s balance a lot. Whenever it’s like this, I feel very comfortable".
The real scare of the weekend so far came during FP3, with the risk of a penalty for not slowing down under yellow flags, which turned into a mere reprimand:
"I didn’t know what the race direction’s decision would be, but I experienced the situation and felt that it was the right decision to make. I’m always very honest with myself; I wouldn’t have said this before getting in the car if it were another case, so I was calm. The best thing I could do at that moment was to focus on qualifying, so I didn’t have much time to think about anything else".
Frédéric Vasseur can only smile after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying. Scuderia Ferrari remains competitive, and after Charles Leclerc’s triumph in Monza, they’ve also secured pole position in Baku. It’s an extremely encouraging result. Nevertheless, the French manager stays firmly focused on the rest of the weekend:
"We should enjoy the pole, but the most important thing will be tomorrow’s race. It doesn’t matter if you have three-tenths, two, or five-tenths of an advantage; you don’t start any further ahead. This means we need to focus solely on ourselves. We’ve had a good pace since the start of the weekend, both in race simulation and in qualifying. Having both cars at the front tomorrow is important, but the others aren’t far behind. I’m sure the race will be challenging".
Charles Leclerc made the big difference, especially in Q3, securing his fourth consecutive pole position in Baku:
"Charles has a special confidence when he comes to Baku or Monaco. And the most important thing is to keep it under control. We mustn’t overdo it but just do what is necessary, and I believe Charles can keep everything under control. We’ve always had better race simulation pace compared to qualifying this year, and this is encouraging for tomorrow".
In Monza, the victory was achieved thanks to a strategic call, so Ferrari might repeat the feat in Baku:
"I think the strategy will be dictated by the Safety Car rather than other factors. And I’m not sure if the opponent for the win will only be McLaren, because race pace shows there’s a very small gap between all four main teams. But the important thing is not to think about the others but to focus on ourselves. We need to work with the car we have, knowing that our pace is good, which means we need to do our job: start well, have a good rhythm, and keep everything under control. Constructors' Championship? Honestly, I don’t know the gap. The most important thing is to focus day by day. It would be a mistake to think about anything else. Mercedes went from a double win at Spa to seventh-eighth place at Zandvoort, which means it can happen to anyone".
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying delivered a real twist at the end of Q1, with yellow flags forcing Lando Norris to lift off the throttle just as the British driver was completing his fast lap. This was a near-wasted opportunity for Lando Norris to close the gap in the championship standings on Max Verstappen, given the difficulties of overtaking on the Baku street circuit. A missed chance, especially considering the starting position of the reigning World Champion, who is unusually starting behind his teammate Sergio Perez. However, McLaren still has a major consolation. The Woking team can count on Oscar Piastri, who will start alongside Charles Leclerc in the first row. This result is not seen negatively by the Australian McLaren driver, although he acknowledges that some mistakes during his fast lap compromised his chances for pole position:
"I don’t think it was possible to beat Charles today. It wasn’t the cleanest lap of my life; maybe I had a bit of margin, but it was quite messy. I touched the walls a few times, but I don’t think I lost 0.3 seconds. I’m quite happy with second place; I think it was the maximum I could achieve today. It’s a good starting position for tomorrow. Of course, the stretch to Turn 1 is very short here, so it’s not that easy to gain a position, but the road to Turn 3 is long, so we’ll see if I can take advantage of that".
Carlos Sainz Jr. returns to the top three in qualifying after almost four months. The Spanish driver secures third place in Baku. Sainz can be pleased, as the Azerbaijan street circuit is not exactly his favorite: he had previously only managed fourth in qualifying and never finished higher than fifth in the race.
"I think I found something in Q3 that could have helped me in Q1 or Q2, but I’m happy to start from third place. Yesterday, I was among the fastest in the long run, and I’m confident that things could go better in the race. If we do a good job tomorrow, we can try to win with either Charles or me; a double podium here would be important for the team and the Constructors’ Championship, where we are close. The top eight are within a maximum of two-tenths; a small change in balance can put you ahead of the others, and we hope it will be us. I’m confident we can do well tomorrow; the number one goal is a double podium. This third place isn’t anything special but it’s fair. I would have liked to be on the front row, but I’ve always struggled quite a bit at this circuit in the past. It’s one of those tracks where you’re not very fast from FP1 and then have to adapt: for Charles, it’s the total opposite; he’s always very fast, and it comes naturally to him".
Looking at how competitive Oscar Piastri is, there is reason for McLaren to smile. Despite admitting to an imperfect final lap in Q3, the young Australian driver has secured a spot on the front row. This result is not surprising given recent performances but rather confirms the speed of the MCL38, even on a track where difficulties had emerged since the first practice sessions. The problem, however, is that Lando Norris was eliminated in Q1 and will be forced to start from 17th place. This is a poor signal in the fight for the World Championship against Max Verstappen. If anything, it reflects the current situation of McLaren Racing's Team Principal, Andrea Stella. On one hand, there is a car that has recently appeared to be the benchmark for the entire category, including Red Bull Racing, but on the other, there are unfortunate episodes, mistakes, and negative circumstances that rarely allow the Woking team to secure the points they hope for.
"The negative thing is that one of our two cars will start from the back of the grid. We will try our best to gather points and minimize the impact of this situation, but obviously, it was a very unlucky qualifying Saturday for Lando".
In the final qualifying lap of Q2, Lando Norris made a mistake exiting Turn 16, getting out of shape on the curb. However, McLaren's Team Principal places most of the blame for his driver’s exclusion on the yellow flag displayed due to the presence of Esteban Ocon’s Alpine:
"We are discussing with the FIA about why the flag was shown at that moment. It cost us a lot in the context of this weekend. We want to understand why it was shown there. We believe that a yellow flag was not necessary, as there was only one car moving slowly off the racing line. Everyone is trying to do their best, but it was a situation that, from a regulatory standpoint, should not have occurred. And we paid the consequences".
Meanwhile, Max Verstappen’s difficult period seems to continue, as he ended Q3 in sixth place. The Dutch driver will start from the third row, beaten for the first time this season in a fast lap by his teammate, Sergio Perez. Verstappen appeared more competitive during the practice sessions, but some last-minute adjustments to the setup of the RB20 did not work as expected:
"I naturally expected more, but we made some changes just before qualifying that probably pushed the car too much to its limits. The car became difficult to drive, and it’s a shame because I wanted to get closer to the perfect setup, but instead, we went beyond the limit, which frustrates me. We always try to perfect things, but we went down the wrong path. This compromised my qualifying. I didn’t regain confidence, and in my first lap in Q3, I almost went off in the last corner. It could have been better, but it was also very difficult to put together a lap, and on a street circuit, when the car isn’t how you like it and is unpredictable, it makes everything twice as hard".
That said, for the first time this season, we will see a scenario that has been rare in recent years at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: without considering any penalties or grid drops, based solely on track results, Sergio Perez will start ahead of his teammate. The Mexican driver, often comfortable on the Baku street circuit, will start from fourth position. This is a satisfactory outcome for the Red Bull Racing driver, although Perez himself has not fully expressed satisfaction with the second row, judging by his comments after qualifying:
"First of all, I’m a bit disappointed because I think second place wasn’t impossible. I had some difficulties, especially in the second sector where I lost a tenth or a tenth and a half, but Ferrari had another pace. Tomorrow we’ll see what we can do and what result we can achieve".
For Sergio Perez, a front row start at the Baku circuit wouldn’t have been unimaginable. So, is a win possible?
"If I can overtake someone on the first lap and join the front group, everything will be decided by the degradation in the first stint. If I’m fast in the latter part, who knows…".
In the latest Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying, the Mercedes team faced a challenging session, particularly for Lewis Hamilton. Outside the top five and with the prospect of matching his 2018 victory seeming distant, the future Ferrari driver ended up in P7, behind Max Verstappen, who was also dissatisfied with his session outcome. This result contrasts sharply with the positive sensations Hamilton had on Friday, where he appeared competitive in two practice sessions that were notably more challenging for his teammate George Russell, who had to replace his power unit after issues in FP1.
"The qualifying session was disappointing because we had a good day yesterday and I thought we could fight for the top two rows. Unfortunately, I struggled to get the tires working, and that’s the problem. We will analyze why this happened as a team and hope to make improvements in the future. The goal is to progress tomorrow, and I am confident we can. It’s not always easy to make progress here, but we have a slightly different tire strategy from the others that might help us. We also need to be careful with the tires because it’s easy to suffer with the rears. If we can manage that, we hope to have a better day than today".
The impressive qualifying performance of the two Scuderia Ferrari drivers at Baku, with Charles Leclerc on pole position and Carlos Sainz Jr. in third, did not surprise Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff. Reflecting on the qualifying session, the Austrian manager praised the Maranello team’s performance:
"Ferrari has looked strong all weekend, so we knew it was unlikely we would be fighting for pole position".
Focusing on his drivers' performances, with George Russell achieving the fifth-fastest time (but still under review for a possible yellow flag infraction) and Lewis Hamilton seventh, there was little to smile about in the Mercedes camp.
"Qualifying was frustrating today. We worked hard to make improvements overnight and thought we could fight for the second row. After the first laps in Q3, it seemed possible. Unfortunately, in our second attempt, we had an imperfect out-lap and lost P3 by just half a tenth of a second. George improved during the session and finished P5, while Lewis had issues with tire temperatures and ended up P7. We still have work to do tomorrow, but the race is long, and our goal is to move up. We don’t have a clear idea of where we stand compared to our competitors on long runs, so we’ll see what we can do tomorrow".
Q3 was marked by a rather unusual incident involving the Williams team. The British team's mechanics forgot to remove the airbox from Alex Albon's car, sending him out on track with the device - clearly visible due to its yellow color - still attached. This unusual mistake obviously compromised the Thai driver's performance. For this oversight, the team was fined €5.000 for unsafe conditions, but Alex Albon's P10 position was confirmed. Despite the issue, Albon showed great respect for his team's recent improvements and avoided criticizing his mechanics in the post-qualifying interviews, instead trying to console them:
"Regarding the problem with the airbox in Q3, these things happen. No one did it on purpose, and the team will look into it, but realistically, I would have gained only one, maybe two positions if everything had gone perfectly, and we can still fight for the top-10 tomorrow. We've had three consecutive Q3 appearances, which is positive, and it's important that both cars made it to Q3. The car is performing well, and the updates are working. Strangely, I'm not very satisfied with the car this weekend, but that's a good sign because it shows there's still a lot to be done and the race pace is still good".
Oliver Bearman's first weekend as an official Haas driver highlighted his self-critical nature, as he called himself an idiot twice on team radio. The first instance occurred after hitting the barriers in FP3, where the British driver first apologized to the team for the incident and then expressed his frustration with the phrase:
"I'm really an idiot".
The second incident wasn't due to an accident or a major mistake, but rather his dissatisfaction despite having finished qualifying ahead of his more experienced teammate Nico Hülkenberg and narrowly missing Q3, ending up in P11. This wasn't enough to calm Bearman's frustration, and he expressed it again on team radio:
"I had a lock-up. Damn it. I'm really an idiot".
A good qualifying performance didn’t calm Bearman, who was competing in his second Formula 1 race after substituting for the unavailable Carlos Sainz Jr. at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix earlier this year, bringing the Ferrari to P7:
"It was a difficult session. Firstly, I was lucky to make it into Q2 because there was a double yellow that cost me a lot of time, but I managed to get through. We were really on the edge of making it into Q3 if it weren't for the mistake I made in the castle section. I'm quite disappointed in myself, not necessarily for qualifying, but for FP3 where I lost many laps and experience. Yesterday I felt very comfortable with the car in my high-fuel run, so I have high hopes for tomorrow".
Ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Adrian Newey didn't hold back from criticizing Sky Sports UK, accusing the broadcaster of not always providing fair and unbiased coverage of Formula 1.
"Sky Sports UK has a significant influence on Formula 1, as their coverage ultimately has a global impact. I have to say that their coverage is rather nationalistic, which led to the unfair demonization of Verstappen in 2021. I don't agree at all with this journalistic trend of putting some drivers on a pedestal while doing the opposite for others. The same thing happened, for instance, with Vettel".
In response to Newey's comments, Max Verstappen said:
"I agree 100%".
For example, in 2022, Verstappen even avoided interviews with Sky Sports UK after a prominent figure from the broadcaster suggested that the 2021 World Championship had been taken from Lewis Hamilton. The theme of Formula 1 being dominated and influenced by British teams and media has also been frequently highlighted by Fernando Alonso, who has always had a lot of sympathy for Max Verstappen. Alonso has clearly seen parallels between Verstappen’s situation and the challenges he himself faced when a driver not traditionally associated with Formula 1 starts making significant strides in the sport.
On Sunday, September 15, 2024, before the start of the race, the fifth unit of the internal combustion engine, turbocharger, and MGU-H is installed on the cars of Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Ocon. On the British driver's car, the fifth unit of the MGU-K is also installed, while on the French Alpine driver's car, the seventh unit of the exhaust system is fitted. Both drivers, who qualified in seventh and nineteenth place respectively, are forced to start from the pit lane as the four components installed on Hamilton's car and the first three on Ocon's car were replaced without the approval of the FIA technical delegate under parc fermé conditions. At the start of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc, who started from pole position, maintains first place. Behind him, Oscar Piastri is second, ahead of Sergio Pérez, who overtakes Carlos Sainz Jr. Further back, Max Verstappen also loses his position to George Russell. The standings remain mostly unchanged until lap 13, when Max Verstappen pits to fit hard tires. During lap 14, Sergio Pérez also pits to switch to hard tires. On lap 16, Oscar Piastri also enters the pits, while Sergio Pérez passes Lando Norris to take fifth place. On lap 17, Charles Leclerc also pits, fitting hard tires and rejoining the track ahead of Alex Albon, who has yet to stop, and Oscar Piastri. Meanwhile, Carlos Sainz Jr. temporarily moves into first place. After the Spanish driver's pit stop, Charles Leclerc regains the lead, followed by Oscar Piastri, Sergio Pérez, Alex Albon, Lando Norris, and Carlos Sainz Jr. Two laps later, Oscar Piastri manages to overtake Charles Leclerc at the first corner, moving into first place. In the following laps, Carlos Sainz Jr. overtakes both Lando Norris and Alex Albon, returning to fourth place. In the middle part of the race, Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc, and Sergio Pérez are very close. The Monegasque driver makes several attempts to overtake the Australian at the first corner to retake the lead but doesn’t have enough momentum. This battle among the top three drivers allows Carlos Sainz Jr. to close the gap. On lap 34, George Russell overtakes Max Verstappen, moving up to sixth position. Three laps earlier, Alex Albon had pitted. Lando Norris, who started on hard tires, waits until lap 38 to pit and fit medium tires. The British McLaren driver rejoins the track in seventh position, behind Max Verstappen. Lando Norris then gradually closes the gap to the Dutch driver, managing to overtake him on lap 49.
On the penultimate lap, Sergio Pérez attempts to pass Charles Leclerc at the first corner but is unsuccessful; this allows Carlos Sainz Jr. to overtake the Mexican driver and attempt to pass Charles Leclerc. However, between the second and third corners, the cars of Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz Jr. collide, ending their race against the wall. The Grand Prix is neutralized for the final two laps with the Virtual Safety Car. As a result, Oscar Piastri wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his second career victory after his success in Hungary. Spectacular race in Baku, two weeks after Charles Leclerc’s magic at Monza, once again with the Monegasque driver from Scuderia Ferrari starring on the Azerbaijani street circuit. This time, the winner is the very driver who finished behind the Scuderia Ferrari driver at the last Italian Grand Prix: Oscar Piastri. Starting second on the grid and staying behind Leclerc until lap 20, right after the first and only pit stop for tire changes, the Australian McLaren driver held the lead of the race firmly from that point until the checkered flag, fending off Charles Leclerc's attacks with determination and securing his second career victory after the Hungarian Grand Prix. Leclerc's repeated attempts, however, took a toll on his tires, which deteriorated towards the end of the race. This incident inevitably favored the comeback of Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr. behind him: just two laps before the end, the Mexican driver tried what seemed like an inevitable attack on the Scuderia Ferrari driver for second place but got involved in a collision with Sainz Jr.’s second Ferrari, who was also close to taking third position. In a completely unexpected turn of events, George Russell took the podium, finishing ahead of Lando Norris, who stayed on track with Hard tires until lap 38 and rejoined behind an unremarkable Max Verstappen, making his way past the reigning World Champion just before the contact between Sainz Jr. and Perez, finishing in fourth place. As a result, McLaren Racing moved to the top of the Constructors’ Championship standings, overtaking Red Bull Racing. Oscar Piastri once again shined in Baku, securing his second career victory and second win of the season after finishing second at Monza. He triumphed ahead of Charles Leclerc in an intense race. Reflecting on his performance, Piastri said:
"I think I came close to perfection. I made a couple of mistakes, but keeping someone behind for 30 laps without making any errors is impossible. I'm very happy with my race. There were moments when I thought I was in trouble after making a few slips, but I think Charles made a few mistakes around the same time. Maybe it was the wind, as it hit us both, and we both 'drifted' at the penultimate corner. At that moment, I saw myself crashing into the wall, but I don't think I could have gotten closer to perfection than that".
The Australian driver emphasized that Ferrari was the car to beat, and without that decisive overtake at the beginning of the second stint, the race would likely have turned into a one-man show for Leclerc.
"About the car compared to yesterday? I don't think I found it significantly faster. The straight here is longer, but during the race, you don't think about these things. You just focus on where to brake or things like that. In terms of pace compared to the others, I honestly think we were stronger at Monza, whereas here we weren't overwhelmingly fast. Obviously, we were quick, but if Charles had stayed in the lead, I think he would have won with a decent margin. This victory was earned with a great overtake and executing everything else perfectly. At the start, I tried to get ahead, but once I dropped out of DRS range, I didn’t have the pace. After the stop, we got closer again, and I felt I had more grip, so I had to attack, and I knew that if I didn’t pass him early in the stint, I wouldn’t be able to overtake later. It was a risky move because I passed him from far back, but I managed to pull it off. Then I had to manage, and in the last two laps, I got out of DRS range and calmed down a bit, but you can never fully relax here. It was tough, but it was also one of my best races ever. Considering where we started as a team when I arrived, when we were literally last, now we’re leading the championship. Full credit to the team for the huge turnaround they’ve managed to achieve during the time I’ve been here, improving the car and contributing to my own improvement as well. A few months ago, a result like this wouldn’t have been possible for me, so it’s a massive team effort, and I’m excited to think about what the future holds".
Oscar PIastri also revealed that he deliberately disregarded the instructions of Tom Stallard, his race engineer, who, after the pit stop, had asked him to gently warm up the tires:
"I feel a bit guilty with my race engineer because, basically, in the second stint I tried to do the same thing I did in the first. After the start, I had pushed hard, immediately ruining the tires, so the pit wall asked me not to do it again. But I completely ignored it, and on the next lap, I dived to the inside (to overtake Leclerc, ed.). I thought that if I followed the orders, I would only have had to stay behind, waiting for Charles's tires to degrade, which would never have happened. That's what won me the race. If I had followed the plan, we would have only secured second place. I had already had a similar overtaking opportunity in the first stint, I think on lap two or three, but I couldn't capitalize on it. I remember thinking that if I did things slightly differently, I might be able to pass Leclerc. So when I got another chance after the pit stop, I decided to take it. I wouldn’t be here if I hadn't done that, because I believe there wouldn't have been another opportunity to attack. But I also have to give credit to Charles because he was incredibly fair. I guess he thought I would overshoot and go wide, but I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to close the corner. It was a high-risk maneuver, but that's what it takes to win races. I didn’t want to finish second; I had to go for it".
The curse of Baku remains unbroken: For the fourth consecutive year, Charles Leclerc fails to convert pole position into a win. This time it’s Oscar Piastri celebrating, taking revenge for the defeat he suffered in Italy at the hands of the Monegasque driver.
"On the Medium tires, we were competitive, the car was good, but unfortunately, we couldn't do any race simulations during FP1 and FP2, which gave me problems in managing the race. We struggled with the Hard tires, and towards the end, I thought I was going to hit the wall, and I actually came very close. McLaren and Oscar did an exceptional job; they were better than us. It’s a huge shame for what happened to Carlos on the penultimate lap, but I hope everyone is okay. Obviously, it’s not a great day for the team. Every lap there were so many opportunities; I think McLaren had less downforce, so they were very fast on the straights, while we were slightly faster in the corners. When Oscar overtook me, I thought it was just a matter of staying calm to manage the tires and pass him later, but it was harder than I expected because I couldn’t get close enough on the straights. We lost the race when I couldn’t get close enough at the end of the straight, but that’s how it went".
The decisive overtake by the Australian driver on the Scuderia Ferrari driver came on lap 20. In hindsight, Charles Leclerc admitted he would have handled the situation differently.
"It was a wrong choice. I saw Oscar moving, and I didn’t know if he was going to attempt the overtake or not, but I wasn’t too worried because I knew the DRS was very strong, and I was still in the phase of warming up the tires, so I couldn’t afford to push the brakes to the limit like he did. I knew I was in a tough spot. That’s why I decided to stay on the racing line and then take back DRS, thinking that with DRS, it would be easy to catch him. But the situation turned out to be very different".
McLaren’s impressive straight-line speed on the long straight enabled Oscar Piastri to defend brilliantly at turn 1, frustrating Leclerc’s repeated attempts to overtake.
"Once I was behind, even with DRS, he was like a rocket on the straight, and from that point on, we struggled. I had to push hard to try to stay as close as possible into the last corner, but even when I was close, it wasn’t enough to be on his level by the end of the straight. It was a very tough race, and I made a poor judgment call. I’m not sure what I could have done to prepare more for this situation, but then I realized it would be hard to win".
What also caught Charles Leclerc off guard was the gap Oscar Piastri closed between the end of the first and the start of the second stint:
"The thing that doesn’t add up for me is the gap we had before the pit stop and after. We expected the Hard tires to take a lot of warming up, but I had a 6-second lead over Oscar, I stopped a lap later, and he was immediately close to me. That’s something we need to review because we probably made a mistake there. Then we struggled with pace on the Hards. We hadn’t done many laps with high fuel loads so far, and we paid the price with tire degradation".
Fourth consecutive pole, fourth time Charles Leclerc has failed to turn his Saturday performance into victory at Baku. But with more regret than in previous years: if in 2021 and 2023 there was no chance to win, and in 2022 an engine failure took the Monegasque driver out of contention with Max Verstappen, this time his dominance on the Medium tires in the first stint suggested a quiet afternoon for Scuderia Ferrari. Instead, it wasn’t to be, and the visible disappointment on team principal Frédéric Vasseur’s face is a clear indicator of how frustrating the final result of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was:
"The rear tires didn’t help Leclerc, but this shouldn’t be an excuse. He was probably a bit too optimistic after the first stint because we were very comfortable, and the introduction of the Hards was very important, so he didn’t push much after the pit stop. Maybe it wasn’t the right approach at that stage, because at the end it was very hard to try and pass Piastri, and when you're behind, you wear out the tires more than when you're in front. Oscar's overtake? I haven’t spoken to Charles yet, but we were still in the first lap of the stint, and it was important to preserve the tires. Maybe he didn’t see how fast Piastri was on the straight, so he was caught by surprise".
It’s hard to hide the disappointment:
"We had the potential to win with the package we had on track at Baku. We started from pole, we were dominating, so before talking about upgrades or developments, we need to make sure we do our best with what we have. I think we had the margin today to do a better job together, but it ended the way it did. In the end, we got a podium with second place, we’re scoring more points than Red Bull, we’re catching them in the Constructors’ Championship, and that’s important. But it’s true there’s frustration about losing to Piastri and the incident with Carlos".
Regarding the penultimate-lap incident involving Sainz Jr., Frédéric Vasseur said:
"It’s the first time I’ve seen the incident on replay, but I think Carlos started the straight just behind Charles, and both he and Perez were trying to use the slipstream. It’s true that Checo had a lot of space on the left and didn’t move at all. It’s certainly unfortunate to finish a weekend like this. But it was a good race, an intense afternoon. Everyone was on the limit with the tires, and you can’t always win. You can draw conclusions, sure, but overall we did a good job".
Frédéric Vasseur reflects on the key moments of the defeat suffered in Baku:
"We should have pitted one lap earlier, but that's a different story. The plan was to build a margin and pit one lap later".
However, the Team Principal does not believe the engineers made a mistake:
"It wasn’t a risk, on the contrary. I think when you have a 5-second advantage over Piastri, if you respond [to the pit stop] the lap after, you don’t expose yourself to the risk of a Safety Car. It may not be optimal, but at least you play it safe".
The timing of the pit stop wasn’t the only factor that facilitated Piastri’s return ahead of Leclerc. Vasseur also reflects on the excessive caution in warming up the tires after the stop:
"We were a bit cautious on the out-lap. Clearly, we lost to Piastri on the return lap, but also in picking up the pace. We were convinced that to make the tires last 30 laps, we needed a slow introduction and to avoid pushing too hard on the out-lap, but without losing the position".
Immediately after the race, Charles Leclerc attributed the difficulties in overtaking the McLaren to a lack of performance from the Ferrari after switching to Hard tires. However, Vasseur disagrees with the Monegasque driver’s analysis:
"Maybe, but I’m not entirely convinced. I think it’s more due to the fact that for 30 laps we were behind someone in dirty air. That ruins the tires a lot. Probably today we had a better pace than Piastri, but that’s how it goes. Two weeks ago in Monza, it was probably the opposite: track position is important, and when you spend 20 laps behind someone, you stress the rear tires a lot trying to overtake, while the front tires are in dirty air and slide more".
Vasseur then revisits what happened to Leclerc’s Ferrari towards the end of the Grand Prix:
"After 25 laps, you start to degrade your tires more than those in front of you. I believe that’s what happened during the first stint with Piastri, who was behind us. He followed us for ten laps and then in the last five laps, we opened a significant gap".
Overall, Vasseur appears satisfied with Ferrari’s competitiveness in Azerbaijan:
"The pace was good throughout the weekend, from the first lap of FP1 until the end of the race. That’s the most important thing. If we could score more points next week with similar pace, it would be a significant step forward".
The Team Principal’s focus is already on the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix:
"The story might be different because the type of corners will be similar but with much more aerodynamic load. After Singapore, we’ll have a break before Austin. We’ll have time to discuss it, but first, I want a good result in Singapore, as we did last year. We’re in a good moment and need to continue like this to collect more points than we did today".
Scuderia Ferrari trails McLaren Racing by 51 points in the Constructors’ Championship, but the French manager remains undaunted:
"There will be ups and downs until the end of the season. What matters is winning when you’re in a good position, but also collecting points when you’re not. We failed in Canada, England, and Austria. It’s probably costing us a lot. But now we’re back in form and able to fight for pole and victory every weekend. There are still 300 points available. Anything is possible; it will be a long fight. Today things didn’t go our way, but better weekends will come".
Few would have seriously thought that a Mercedes driver would end up on the podium at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, especially after the problems faced by the Brackley team during the practice sessions and qualifying. In the former case, the Anglo-German team had to replace the Power Unit in George Russell's car, just as they later did with Lewis Hamilton's car, although Hamilton was penalized by the Race Direction. George Russell was expected to finish in fifth place, ahead of Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, until an unexpected incident on the penultimate lap altered the final standings: the contact between Carlos Sainz Jr. and Sergio Perez, who were battling for third place, effectively gifted a podium position to the English driver. This was Russell's third top-3 finish this season, following another third place in Canada and a win in Austria. However, Russell himself is the first not to get too carried away by the result, acknowledging both the difficulties Mercedes faced this weekend and the luck that played in his favor:
"I’m definitely surprised to be on the podium. I’m glad Carlos and Checo are okay. I think there was a lot of work done by the team with the engine change for me and for Lewis. A lot happened, and everyone worked very hard. I had a terrible start and lost a lot of ground early on, but on the Hard tires, we were among the fastest. It was great to pass Max, and then there was this bonus that got me onto the podium".
And he adds:
"Going full throttle in front of a wall of carbon fiber on the penultimate lap was the toughest moment; it was absolutely crazy. Something was happening, but you couldn’t fully understand it, then the Safety Car didn’t come out, and anything could have happened, but I’m glad everyone’s okay. It was a very long and strange race, and I’m happy to be on the podium. We have to be realistic: we should have finished 5th today; that was the true result for our pace. Obviously, without Lando’s problem in qualifying yesterday, he would have been ahead as well, so I don’t want to get carried away by this podium. There’s still a lot of work to do, and we hope Singapore will be a slightly better weekend. Today was a really strange race. The first stint was very difficult with the medium tires. I was more than a second off the pace at the end and had trouble managing the rear tire temperatures. In the second stint, with the Hard tires, the car felt great. Over the last 20 laps, I was a second faster than at the start. It’s hard to understand exactly why this happened, and it’s a bit frustrating. We were lucky to get on the podium, and I’m glad that both Sainz and Perez are okay. We had a relatively calm race until P5 after passing Verstappen, but we’ll take it. It’s a good reward for all the team’s efforts after a challenging weekend overall".
A strangely straightforward race ended under Virtual Safety Car conditions. The neutralization, occurring just under two laps from the checkered flag, was caused by the devastating crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr. This incident allowed Charles Leclerc to breathe a sigh of relief and retain a second place that was otherwise in jeopardy, while also rewarding a fortunate George Russell with a podium finish. The contact is under investigation by the race stewards, but it might be difficult to pinpoint a clear culprit. While it's true that Sergio Perez had some margin to his left, it's also true that the two cars were very close after Turn 2 and the disastrous incident was triggered by a nearly imperceptible move by Carlos Sainz Jr. during acceleration, possibly to take advantage of the slipstream from Charles Leclerc’s car, which was a few meters ahead.
"I’m not one to assign blame or do analysis without first consulting the stewards, but I know that this time I didn’t do anything wrong, bad, or dangerous".
The Mexican driver, on the other hand, is a bit more outspoken on the matter, as the crash caused him to miss what could have been his best result since the fourth place in the Miami Grand Prix:
"We came out of Turn 2 with quite a bit of space between the two cars, and I didn’t expect Carlos to come up so quickly on the inside. The problem was that he was slower than me, and we made contact quickly, tire to tire. It’s a real shame because Carlos is the last person I should have had contact with. Ending both our weekends like this is a disaster".
Looking quite disappointed after qualifying, where he recorded the seventh fastest time, Lewis Hamilton then had to serve a penalty before the race due to the replacement of the Mercedes Power Unit, starting from the pit lane along with Esteban Ocon. As a result, the English driver faced a challenging Grand Prix, which did not allow him to compete for victory on a circuit like Baku, which is notorious for its difficulty in overtaking, except for the long start-finish straight.
"Today was a tough race. On Friday we had a good day, but the rest of the weekend has been challenging. We made some changes for Saturday that didn’t work out, but we had to accept it. We also knew it would be difficult to overtake today. Despite the long straight, it’s hard to follow through the second sector. Franco Colapinto and Oliver Bearman, who I raced with for much of the afternoon, did a great job. It’s nice to see young drivers like them coming through and performing so well. For their first and second races, it was really impressive. Despite my race being very tough, the positives are that George had a good race and managed to score some useful points for the team. We also have a lot of data to analyze for Singapore. We have some updates coming before the end of the year, so we hope to make progress towards the front soon".
The post-race incident involving Max Verstappen, Esteban Ocon, Pierre Gasly, and Nico Hulkenberg was resolved with a simple warning from the race stewards. The four drivers, after the race ended, returned to the pits by overtaking the cars in front of them, not realizing that the Virtual Safety Car regime was still in effect following the incident between Carlos Sainz Jr. and Sergio Perez. The four drivers were summoned by the stewards and received the same verdict, which clearly explained that the simple warning was also due to the fact that similar situations in the past had not been penalized because the incident had gone unnoticed. The warning from the stewards was directed at the future: any similar situations in upcoming Grands Prix could receive more severe penalties.
"The drivers overtook other cars after the checkered flag while the VSC was still in operation, following the incident at Turn 2. The drivers were reminded that, although overtaking after the checkered flag is not unusual, it is prohibited in the case of yellow flags, safety car, or virtual safety car procedures. Although the drivers were aware of the location of the incident, they could not know if emergency vehicles or marshals had been dispatched to the track and therefore had to proceed with caution. The Stewards are aware that this situation occurred earlier in the season and went unnoticed at that time. Therefore, we are warning the drivers involved and all other competitors. Further violations may result in significant penalties".
The first to notice Max Verstappen's behavior was Lando Norris, who, at the end of the race, reported the incident to his engineer over the radio:
"Max is overtaking everyone, but the VSC is still out, right? So… I’m not sure if it’s important, but there’s a VSC".
Later, the British driver highlighted the incident again, also relating it to what happened to him during Q1, when the display of the yellow flag forced him to abort his final timed lap and consequently eliminated him early:
"I had the VSC message on the dashboard and the yellow lights. So it was a similar situation to what I had yesterday. There was an incident, and there were medics on the track and stuff like that, which means overtaking is not allowed, but he was overtaking and I questioned that. I asked my team because I thought overtaking wasn’t allowed, but maybe I’m wrong".
The final fifth place and the 3 points lost to Lando Norris are, all things considered, a positive result for Max Verstappen. In reality, the World Champion was only seventh two laps from the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix and gained two positions only thanks to the incident between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz Jr. This performance was somewhat lackluster, similar to his finish at Monza, where the Dutch driver ended up in sixth place with a Red Bull Racing car that was the fourth fastest on track. However, this time, the overall assessment of the RB20's competitiveness was slightly improved by Sergio Perez’s encouraging performance, as he had been in contention for the win throughout the race until his retirement.
"Yes, obviously it was a bad weekend for me and a bad race. Honestly, even in qualifying, I didn’t feel comfortable because the last adjustments we made to the setup didn’t work as we expected, and we paid the consequences for that mistake. That was probably the problem because looking at Checo, he had a much better race than I did. Perez had a lot more confidence in driving the car while I tried something different with the setup before qualifying and unfortunately, it didn’t go as we hoped. But it’s okay, we win and lose together. We are a team. Of course, I’m not happy with the performance we showed on track, but on the other hand, sometimes the last adjustment to the setup allows you to get everything right and it works great. This time it wasn’t like that, but in any case, even though the weekend wasn’t positive for me, I didn’t lose many points. So, I take that positive aspect knowing that we can do much better. At the very least, we’ll try next time".
The final note concerns the investigation into the overtaking maneuvers performed after the finish line but still under the Virtual Safety Car due to the incident between Perez and Sainz Jr. This maneuver earned him an official reprimand from the race stewards:
"I didn’t overtake during the VSC, only after crossing the finish line. I mean, there are many past examples and even this year where I did exactly the same thing. So yes, I was a bit surprised to be under investigation".
At this point, only seven races remain until the end of the World Championship. On one hand, Lando Norris's chase seems to be progressing too slowly, but on the other, McLaren Racing has finally achieved its goal of surpassing the Red Bull Racing team in the standings, setting itself up for an unexpected success in the Constructors' World Championship. Certainly, Scuderia Ferrari also appears to be in the running for a possible triumph, but at the moment, the English team seems to have a performance gap that will be difficult to bridge.