MOTORSPORT – BAKU is well known as a major test for drivers. It’s an unforgiving layout with walls that will punish the slightest error in many sections of the circuit. As a result, we have been used to some fairly drawn-out qualifying sessions in Baku previously, but Saturday produced a notable new record. There were no fewer than six red flags across the three sessions, the highest ever under this format of qualifying. It also meant that qualifying was a full two hours long, longer than the entirety of last year’s race.
Amongst the carnage of Saturday, perhaps the most notable error came from Oscar Piastri, who hit the wall at the start of Q3, which meant that he didn’t post a time. This opened the door for Norris who had one run remaining. He went out early (presumably because of the risk of another red flag) but the track was still damp from a few spots of rain. His time proved uncompetitive compared to those who went out later so he would start seventh. Those who went out late in the final session had the best of the conditions and it came as no surprise that Max Verstappen made the most of it to put the Red Bull on pole. This left opportunities for some new faces towards the front, as right at the start of the final qualifying session, Leclerc hit the wall in turn 15 and Hamilton was already out in the previous session. It was Sainz in the Williams who stepped up to post second, with Liam Lawson in the Racing Bulls third. The two Mercedes were fourth and fifth, with Hadjar just behind Norris starting eighth.
Strategy analysis for the race suggested one stop race was optimal, although there was a threat of rain forecast for an hour after race start, which could alter that. When it came to the start, Oscar Piastri had a disaster, jumping the lights, briefly stopping and ending up last into turn one. To make matters considerably worse, he then locked up just a few corners later and ended up in the wall and was out of the race. It was another surprising error from the Australian, who is known for his coolness under pressure and lack of unforced mistakes. Indeed, it ended a streak of 44 consecutive races that he had finished. This was surprisingly the only safety car of the race, and, after a clear up, it was back underway on lap 5.
At the front, Verstappen had carefully crafted his initial start and subsequent restart under the safety car and was out of DRS range from Sainz in second quite quickly. Liam Lawson had managed to hold third, followed by Antonelli, Tsunoda and Russell. Leclerc had managed to take Norris on the restart for seventh, with the other Ferrari of Hamilton just behind Norris.
Antonelli was first to stop on lap 18, followed by Leclerc on lap 20 and Lawson the following lap. Verstappen, Sainz, Russell, Tsunoda and Norris were holding out longer, perhaps hoping for a safety car and cheap pit stop, or failing that to have fresher tyres for the end of the race. Sainz eventually came in on lap 28, but others at the front went even longer. Hamilton came in on lap 37, with Norris the following lap. Unfortunately for Norris, he had a slower pit stop than expected, lost two seconds, so came out behind Leclerc who he had hoped to keep behind him.
With Tsunoda and Verstappen stopping around lap 39, the order was set for the last stint to the chequered flag. Verstappen was comfortably upfront, followed by Russell, Sainz, Antonelli, Lawson, Tsunoda, Leclerc and Norris.
Norris was hoping for a late charge to pick up as many points as he could. He took Leclerc on lap 41 and shortly after, Hamilton was let through by Leclerc as he was on fresher tyres. It was a tense battle in the fight for fifth to eighth place, with Tsunoda pressuring Lawson, who in turn had Norris in his wing mirrors. But it was not to be as laps ran out, tyres aged and overtaking opportunities were thin on the ground.
Upfront, Verstappen was in a race of his own and won by a commanding 14 seconds from Russell. Sainz held out for the third podium place, a result which caused much celebration from the Williams garage. That is not surprising given that their last full race podium was in 2017.
With Antonelli fourth, Lawson fifth and Tsunoda sixth, Lando Norris managed to contribute 6 points to his championship tally with his seventh placed finish. He therefore reduced the gap marginally to Piastri but will have seen it as a missed opportunity to make bigger inroads.
This was McLaren’s first weekend when they could have confirmed their constructors’ championship win. Whilst that was not to be, with the result in Baku they are now up against Mercedes in second, who are 333 points behind. There are a number of permutations by which they can win next time out. With a maximum of 346 points available, they will need a combination of 14 points between the two drivers, irrespective of what happens to the rest of the field. This translates to a seventh and eighth finish.
Papaya fans will be glued to the action on 5 October in Singapore to see if that materialises.
Laurence Jones is senior manager, Marketing and Communications, Bahrain International Circuit
l.jones@bic.com.bh
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