In the recent Azerbaijan GP qualifying session, Max Verstappen skillfully navigated through the chaos caused by multiple red flags, ultimately securing pole position and bringing closure to a race that lasted nearly two hours.
The F1 event in Azerbaijan is set to hold three 60-minute practice sessions on the afternoons of September 19 and 20. Notably, the second practice session on the 19th is deemed crucial by all teams, as it closely precedes the qualifying and race times, making it essential for fine-tuning the car’s performance.
With the debut of the C6 soft tires, the variables in this practice session have increased significantly. Many teams opted to use the soft tires early on, even though Ferrari’s Leclerc secured his fourth consecutive pole position in Baku. He still faces strong challengers like Mercedes’ Russell and Antonelli.
The promising McLaren team, with a chance to secure the championship, is still struggling with adjustments. Norris’s suspension system broke down, forcing him to end his race after just 7 laps. Despite the data indicating that McLaren could deliver a strong performance, uncertainty looms large.
During the qualifying session on the afternoon of September 20, with track temperatures at 21 degrees Celsius, the drivers had to skillfully manage the combination of the C5 hard tires and C6 soft tires in Q1. Verstappen and Norris opted to start on the hard tires, aiming to improve their best times, but the situation quickly changed due to a red flag caused by an accident involving Albon.
Just five minutes after the race resumed, Hulkenberg crashed into the barriers at Turn 4, causing another interruption in the race. Despite this setback, Hamilton and Piastri continued their battle for valuable time for their teams ahead of the interruption.
The end of Q1 was a bit chaotic due to the incident involving Gasly and Colapinto. However, the results of this session didn’t significantly impact the drivers. Both Norris and Verstappen managed to set new records using soft and medium tires, respectively, showcasing an intense competition between the two. Ultimately, as Q1 wrapped up, several drivers, including the Alpine duo, were eliminated.
The second stage was far from quiet, as Bearman faced an incident in the 2nd to 3rd corner, prompting the race committee to wave the red flag once again, which disrupted the flow of the upcoming race. As a result, among the drivers advancing to Q3, only Piastri managed to secure the best time on soft tires, showcasing the fierce yet uncertain nature of this qualifying session.
