#F1 Qatar Airways #AzerbaijanGP 2024 Preview. #Formula1 #BakuGP
Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023 Race Start at Baku City Circuit, Baku, Azerbaijan. Image credit to Mark Thompson/Getty Images. 2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview, Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview, F1 Azerbaijan GP Preview, Formula 1 Azerbaijan Preview, Newey Aston Martin F1.
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – After Charles Leclerc fended off a charging McLaren of Oscar Piastri to bring Ferrari a home victory in-front of the Tifosi in Monza, round 17 of the 2024 FIA Formula One World Championship returns to the streets of Baku in Azerbaijan this weekend for the Formula 1 Qatar Airways Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024. The inaugural Formula 1 race at the circuit was named the European Grand Prix. This will be the seventh event under the Azerbaijan Grand Prix banner. This will be a back-to-back Grand Prix weekend with Singapore before another month break before the F1 circus heads to the Americas.
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – A look at the Baku City Circuit
The Baku City Circuit is a street circuit constructed near the Baku Boulevard in the capital city of Baku in Azerbaijan. The layout of the circuit was designed by German architect Hermann Tilke and the circuit itself is claimed to be the fastest street circuit on the Formula 1 calendar and the second longest after the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. The circuit will start adjacent to Adazliq Square, then will do a loop around Government House before heading west to the Maiden Tower. Then the track will have a narrow uphill traversal and then circle the Old City before opening onto a 2.2 km (1.4 mi) straight along Neftchilar Avenue back to the start/finish line.
“Our brief to Tilke Engineering was simple – create a circuit that is unique, one that will help the Grand Prix in Baku quickly establish itself as one of the most exciting, thrilling venues on the F1 calendar, and one that the fans and teams alike are excited about,” explained Azad Rahimov, Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sport. “Most importantly, we wanted a track that would showcase the best of Baku, our capital city, and I am delighted that the circuit has achieved exactly that aim.”
The Baku City Circuit runs in an anti-clockwise direction and is 6.003km (3.730 miles) in length with 20 corners.
The race distance is 306.306km (190.332 miles) in length with 51 laps in total.
Charles Leclerc holds the fastest lap record from the 2019 event with a 1:43.009 set in his Scuderia Ferrari SF90.
Sergio Perez (2023), Max Verstappen (2022), Sergio Perez (2021), (Not Held-2020), Valtteri Bottas (2019), Lewis Hamilton (2018), Daniel Ricciardo (2017) and Nico Rosberg (2016 – European GP) are the previous winners of the Baku Grand Prix.
Red Bull Racing are the most successful Constructor at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with four victories (2023, 2022, 2021 and 2017).
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – Onboard Lap of the Baku Street Circuit
Here is the onboard pole position lap of the Baku Street Circuit from the 2023 event, set by Charles Leclerc in his Scuderia Ferrari SF-23. The Monegasque driver posted a 1:40.203. You can watch the footage right here at the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M56qZEbUL8Q
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – Tyres
Pirelli will be bringing with them to Baku, the white-branded C3 white side-walled Hard rubber, the yellow-marked C4 Medium tyres and the red side-walled C5 Soft compounds along with the green-branded Intermediates and blue-marked Full Wets in case of rain.
Drivers will have eight sets of the softs, three sets of the mediums and two sets of the hards.
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – DRS Zones
There will be two DRS zones on the streets of Baku with the first DRS zone 730 metres on the approach to turn one with the second DRS zone 630 metres on the approach of turn three.
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – Pitlane Speed Limits
Pitlane speeds will be 60km/h during practice, qualifying and the race.
ICYMI: Leclerc fends-off Piastri to give Ferrari a thrilling home Italian GP victory
Leclerc Italian GP Victory – Charles Leclerc risked a one-stop strategy and fended-off a charging McLaren of Oscar Piastri to clinch a thrilling victory at the Italian GP in-front of the Tifosi as Lando Norris completed the top three for the Woking based-outfit.
This was Leclerc’s second victory of the season and his second at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza.
When the 53-lap Italian GP began, pole-sitter Norris got a solid getaway as he covers Piastri into Variante Del Rettifilo as Russell suffered a lock-up and ran into the run-off area and fell down into seventh place behind Verstappen.
Russell also picked up some damage on his front wing after hitting the bollard in the Variante Del Rettifilo run-off area.
Norris fell behind Piastri on the rundown to Variante Della Roggia and then into Lesmo one, Leclerc made a move on the inside of the McLaren to make his way into second place.
At the beginning of lap two, Piastri held a 0.500 second lead over Leclerc with Norris third, Sainz fourth as Hamilton rounded out the top six runners.
In the battle for the lead, Leclerc was keeping in under a second to race leader Piastri, with Sainz also within DRS range of third-placed Norris.
RB’s Daniel Ricciardo and Haas’s Nico Hulkenberg’s incident on the run-down to Ascari was noted by the race stewards. Replays show the former squeezing the latter and the duo made contact.
On lap six, Piastri’s lead was at 0.718 seconds over Leclerc with Norris holding third, Sainz fourth, Hamilton fifth, Verstappen sixth, Russell seventh, as Perez completes the top eight runners.
Hulkenberg came in for a fresh set of the hards and a new front wing, emerging at the back of the field.
RB’s Yuki Tsunoda as the first retiree of the race.
Hulkenberg was also noted for his incident with Tsunoda whom he made contact with also on the opening tour as RB’s Ricciardo was hit with a five-second penalty for his collision with the German.
Hulkenberg, however, was slapped with a ten-second penalty for his tangle with Tsunoda.
On the tenth lap, Piastri held a 0.708 second lead over Leclerc who remained in DRS range of the McLaren driver, Norris was third, Sainz fourth as Hamilton rounded out the top five.
In the fight for seventh place, the struggling Russell with a damaged front wing had Perez with DRS assistance get into the slip-stream of the Silver Arrow and made a move on the inside into turn one to jump into the position.
The Mercedes crew called Russell to come in for a new front wing and a fresh set of the C3 white-marked harder rubber.
The Briton came out in 16th place behind Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu.
On lap 12, Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso stopped from ninth for his fresh set of hards, freeing Haas’s Kevin Magnussen and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was. The Spaniard came out in 15th place behind Zhou.
Lap 15 saw Norris pit from third to attempt the undercut on Leclerc. The Briton put on a fresh set of hards and came out in ninth place behind Ocon.
Norris managed to rapidly clear the Frenchman running through Curva Grande to move up into eighth.
Leclerc and Hamilton both reacted and pitted a lap later for their fresh set of hards as the former fell behind Norris in seventh whilst Hamilton emerged in 10th place behind Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll.
On the 16th tour, race leader Piastri pitted for his fresh set of the C3’s and emerged in fourth place as the yet-to-pit Albon split the McLaren pairing in fifth.
Sainz opted to remain on track and in the lead as Red Bull’s Verstappen and Perez also continued on with their hard tyre opening stints.
Ricciardo was also hit with a ten-second penalty for failing to serve the penalty correctly as Hamilton.
Albon pitted on the 18th tour and came out in 13th place behind Alonso.
On the 20th lap, Sainz stopped for his fresh set of hards cane came out in sixth place behind Ferrari team-mate Leclerc.
Hamilton made a move on the inside of Ocon’s Alpine into the Variante Della Roggia chicane to take seventh place and was right behind the back of Sainz’s SF-24 entry.
Meanwhile further back Russell overtook Sauber’s Valtteri Bottas on the inside as they reached the Variante Del Rettifilo to move up into ninth place.
A lap later, Alonso likewise performed the same move as Russell on Bottas to jump into the final points position as leader Verstappen is called in to pit.
The Dutchman pitted for another fresh set of the C3 hards and suffered a slow rear-right tyre and came out in seventh place behind Ocon. Verstappen and Red Bull looking to undertake an aggressive two-stop strategy.
On the 24th tour, Perez finally stopped releasing Piastri into the lead. The Mexican put on his fresh set of hards and emerged in eighth place behind his Red Bull team-mate Verstappen.
Both Verstappen and Perez cleared Ocon to move up into sixth and seventh respectively.
At half race distance, Piastri’s lead sitting at 1.806 seconds over Norris with Leclerc closely behind in third, Sainz fourth, Hamilton fifth, Verstappen sixth, Perez seventh, Russell eighth as Ocon and Alonso completed the top ten.
On the 27th tour in the battle for ninth, Alonso with DRS assistance on the main straight move onto the inside of Ocon and made the move just before the Variante Del Rettifilo chicane to take the position from the Frenchman.
On the 30th tour, Piastri posted the fastest lap of the race with a 1:23.066 as both McLaren drivers continued to trade the quickest tour of the Grand Prix.
The Australian once again set the fastest tour of the race as Leclerc was told by his team that Norris was starting to struggle.
Norris made an error at the Variante Della Roggia chicane taking an excursion into the run-off area allowing Leclerc to be right behind the Briton whilst Perez managed to cover Russell at turn one.
Russell gave the place back after running wide into the corner.
On the 33rd tour, Norris stopped for another fresh set of hards suffering a slow 3.3 second stop. The McLaren driver emerged in sixth place behind championship rival Verstappen.
Russell also pitted a lap later from seventh for his fresh set of C3 hards to try and undercut Perez; the Mercedes driver also suffered a slow stop with the right-rear and came out in 12th place behind Ricciardo.
Russell rapidly cleared the Australian as Perez is told to box.
Perez put on the C2 yellow-branded medium compounds to emerge crucially in-front of Russell in ninth place.
On the 37th lap, both Perez and Russell overtook Albon at turn one and through Curva Grande respectively to move into eighth and ninth respectively.
On the 38th lap, Hamilton stopped from fourth for his harder rubber and came out in sixth place behind Norris.
Piastri made his second stop from the lead on lap 39, for his fresh set of C3’s and emerged in third place.
Meanwhile Russell with the slip-stream and DRS assistance on the main-straight made a lunge on the inside of Perez into turn one and made the move stick to snatch eighth place.
A tour later in the fight for fourth, Norris likewise on the main-straight attempted the move on title-rival Verstappen into the Variante Del Rettifilo as the latter covered the McLaren.
On lap 41, with DRS and the slip-stream, Norris made his move on the inside of the Dutchman into the first corner to move up into fourth place.
Fifth-placed Verstappen pitted on lap 42 for his C2 medium tyres and came out behind Hamilton as Russell made his way ahead of Magnussen to take seventh place.
Out-front both Ferrari’s of Leclerc and Sainz were attempting a one-stop strategy against the two-stopping McLaren’s as third placed Piastri was rapidly catching the two leading SF-24 entries.
With nine laps remaining, Piastri was right in DRS assistance behind Sainz in the fight for second place.
On the rundown to the Ascari with DRS, the Australian jumped Sainz around the outside to take the position.
With seven laps left, Norris rapidly caught Sainz and was tucked right behind the Ferrari in the slip-stream as they reached Parabolica.
On the main-straight with DRS, Norris breezed his way ahead of his former team-mate to take the final podium place.
With five tours remaining race leader Leclerc’s gap to Piastri was sitting at 8.094 seconds with Norris third, Sainz fourth, Hamilton fifth, Verstappen sixth, Russell seventh, Perez eighth as Magnussen and Albon completed the top ten.
Verstappen started to worry about Russell telling his team to pay attention and help him “even though it’s a ***** position, it’s important.” The Dutchman said.
Race leader Leclerc posted another solid lap on 35 lap old tyres and the gap to Piastri was sitting a 4.9 seconds.
The gap kept coming down as Piastri continued to eat into the Ferrari’s lead with the MCL38’s tyre advantage, but it was not enough as Leclerc fended off Piastri to the line by 2.664 seconds to clinch the home Italian GP victory for the Scuderia as Norris completed the top three.
The other Ferrari of Sainz came home in fourth and ahead of Hamilton who was fifth, championship leader Verstappen settled for sixth and the other Mercedes of Russell who took seventh.
The second RB20 entry of Perez finished eighth as Williams’ Albon and Haas’s Magnussen rounded out the final points places.
Magnussen, however, was hit with two penalty points after his tangle with Gasly and will miss the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Aston Martin’s Alonso finished outside the points in 11th and in-front of Williams Racing’s Franco Colapinto who crossed the line in his debut Grand Prix weekend in 12th whilst RB’s Ricciardo ended the race 13th.
Alpine pairing Ocon and Gasly followed in 14th and 15th respectively and ahead of Sauber’s Bottas and Zhou who were 16th and 18th.
Haas’s Hulkenberg split the Sauber’s in 17th as Aston Martin’s Stroll finished at the rear and a lap down.
2024 Azerbaijan GP – The Situation
The thrilling 2024 Formula 1 campaign continues with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the city streets of Baku.
After a summer of unpredictable races in the European leg of the calendar, the sport now begins a run of eight Grands Prix further afield to close out the season.
Everything is still up for grabs after McLaren’s Lando Norris made more gains into Red Bull’s Max Verstappen’s World Driver’s Championship lead at the Italian GP, bringing it down to 62 points.
All eyes on the Baku City Circuit will be on McLaren to see if they place team orders after Oscar Piastri’s opening lap overtake of Norris, which played a role in denying his team-mate a victory and a one-two finish for the Woking based-squad.
Whilst Norris was left frustrated, Red Bull’s continued struggles suggests Verstappen could be soon clinging onto his advantage, with the Dutchman now having a six-race winless drought.
If McLaren can continue their impressive form, there is a chance they will replace Red Bull at the top of the World Constructor’s Championship standings, with the latter’s gap down to just eight points.
Ferrari will be hoping their upgrades, which resulted in their triumph in-front of the Tifosi at Monza were more than just a “Monza Special.”
Mercedes will be looking to charge back in the battle after a disappointing couple of Grands Prix following the summer break.
Oliver Bearman returns to the cockpit in Formula 1 this weekend, this time in place of Kevin Magnussen at MoneyGram Haas F1 Team who received a race ban at Monza after receiving two penalty points following his tangle with Alpine’s Pierre Gasly. The Briton, who has been signed on to the Kannapolis-Banbury outfit for next year, will make his second race appearance having been so incredible when filling in for Carlos Sainz at Ferrari for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in March.
Max Verstappen heads to Azerbaijan sitting on top of the World Driver’s Championship Standings with 303 points and a 62-point-advantage over McLaren’s Lando Norris who Is second on 241 points whilst Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc is third and a further 217 points behind the Dutchman and on 86 points.
Oracle Red Bull Racing comes to Baku sitting on top of the Constructors Championship with 446 points and an eight point-lead over nearest rivals McLaren Formula 1 Team who are second on 438 points while Scuderia Ferrari are a further 39-points behind the Milton Keynes-based outfit in third on 407 points.
2024 Azerbaijan GP Preview – Newey confirmed as Managing Technical Partner of Aston Martin
Newey Aston Martin F1 – Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team have confirmed that Adrian Newey will be Managing Technical Partner for the Silverstone based-outfit in a long-term commitment.
In May, Oracle Red Bull Racing confirmed the departure of Formula 1’s most genius technical-guru – meaning the 25 world championship-winning designer – was on the market.
This triggered a flurry of conversations with teams up and down the grid – including Aston Martin, Ferrari and Williams – about his next adventure and on Tuesday, ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the Silverstone based-squad confirmed they won the race for the Briton’s signature.
A private tour of the team’s brand new AMR Technology Campus in June – proved a decisive factor the team confirmed.
Newey has the challenge of his new role in-front of him – a reset of technical rules and regulations for 2026, the integration of Honda’s power-trains, advanced fuels by Aramco and the newest wind tunnel in Formula 1.
Newey stated: “I am thrilled to be joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. I have been hugely inspired and impressed by the passion and commitment that Lawrence brings to everything he is involved with. Lawrence is determined to create a world-beating team. He is the only majority team owner who is actively engaged in the sport. His commitment is demonstrated in the development of the new AMR Technology Campus and wind tunnel at Silverstone, which are not only state of the art but have a layout that creates a great environment to work in. Together with great partners like Honda and Aramco, they have all the key pieces of infrastructure needed to make Aston Martin a world championship-winning team and I am very much looking forward to helping reach that goal.” Newey concluded. Credit to Aston Martin F1 for the quote.
Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 Team Executive Chairman Lawrence Stroll added: “This is huge news. Adrian is the best in the world at what he does – he is at the top of his game – and I am incredibly proud that he is joining the Aston Martin Aramco Formula One Team. It’s the biggest story since the Aston Martin name returned to the sport and another demonstration of our ambition to build a Formula One team capable of fighting for world championships. As soon as Adrian became available, we knew we had to make it happen. Our initial conversations confirmed that there was a shared desire to collaborate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Adrian is a racer and one of the most competitive people I have ever met. When he saw what we have built at Silverstone – our incredible AMR Technology Campus, the talented group of people we have assembled and the latest wind tunnel in the sport – he quickly understood what we are trying to achieve. We mean business – and so does he. Adrian shares our hunger and ambition, he believes in this project, and he will help us write the next chapter in Aston Martin Aramco’s Formula One story.” Stroll concluded. Credit to Aston Martin F1 for the quote.
Newey will begin his new position at the team’s Silverstone Headquarters from March 1 2025.
Click here for the 2024 World Driver’s (Top Ten) and World Constructor’s Championship Standings
The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024 weekend begins Friday September 13 with Free Practice 1 and 2, followed Free Practice 3 and Qualifying Saturday September 14 and the 51 Lap Race Sunday September 15.
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