The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
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The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
This is the place to discuss everything related to the 4th round of the 2018 season in Baku, Azerbaijan between the 27th and 29th of April.
To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Azerbaijan click here, to register in the competition click here
Picks close at the start of Saturday practice.
The event timetable for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Friday
1st Practice 13:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
2nd Practice 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Saturday
Practice 14:00 local time - 10:00 GMT
Qualifying 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Sunday
Race 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
To submit your 10 'n' Pole Picks for Azerbaijan click here, to register in the competition click here
Picks close at the start of Saturday practice.
The event timetable for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Friday
1st Practice 13:00 local time - 09:00 GMT
2nd Practice 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Saturday
Practice 14:00 local time - 10:00 GMT
Qualifying 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
Sunday
Race 17:00 local time - 13:00 GMT
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
The big question is whether we will have a race of the same excitement as last year?
With Hamilton and Vettel involve in some road rage, the Force India's trying to take each other out, Daniel Ricciardo's dive on the restart and Bottas' last lap pass on Lance Stroll, this years event will have to be exceptional to surpass 2017.
Vettel and Raikkonen would have to have the upper hand at this time of the season. The performance and balance of the Ferrari makes it such a better race car than the current Mercedes.
Speaking of Mercedes, will Hamilton and Bottas overcome the deficit in this years beast in comparison to the Ferrari?
Red Bull, following last season's dramatic victory will again be reliant on things to go their way. Will young Max try to follow his team mates philosophy of taking the sure pass or will he again stick it down the inside and rely on the opposition to clear his path?
And Haas? After throwing away massive points in Australia, they haven't again shown their initial pace. Could it have been luck to have placed themselves into that position and will they rue the pit stop errors and the financial loses because of it at the end of the season?
With Hamilton and Vettel involve in some road rage, the Force India's trying to take each other out, Daniel Ricciardo's dive on the restart and Bottas' last lap pass on Lance Stroll, this years event will have to be exceptional to surpass 2017.
Vettel and Raikkonen would have to have the upper hand at this time of the season. The performance and balance of the Ferrari makes it such a better race car than the current Mercedes.
Speaking of Mercedes, will Hamilton and Bottas overcome the deficit in this years beast in comparison to the Ferrari?
Red Bull, following last season's dramatic victory will again be reliant on things to go their way. Will young Max try to follow his team mates philosophy of taking the sure pass or will he again stick it down the inside and rely on the opposition to clear his path?
And Haas? After throwing away massive points in Australia, they haven't again shown their initial pace. Could it have been luck to have placed themselves into that position and will they rue the pit stop errors and the financial loses because of it at the end of the season?
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
FP1 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:44.242 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
2 1:44.277 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
3 1:45.075 Sergio Perez Force India
4 1:45.200 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
5 1:45.237 Esteban Ocon Force India
6 1:45.559 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
7 1:46.465 Fernando Alonso McLaren
8 1:46.480 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
9 1:46.492 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
10 1:46.513 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
11 1:46.590 Lance Stroll Williams
12 1:46.747 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
13 1:46.749 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
14 1:46.856 Romain Grosjean Haas
15 1:46.861 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
16 1:46.875 Charles Leclerc Sauber
17 1:47.073 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
18 1:47.434 Kevin Magnussen Haas
19 1:47.967 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
20 1:48.741 Carlos Sainz Renault
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
FP1 is in the books and what have we learned?
Max expects too much too soon. This time finishing in the barrier mid session after a rear lock up.
The Force India's a quick here again.
The Mercedes and Red Bulls are at the top of the time sheets. Ferrari is on a different program and playing their cards lose to their chest.
Williams seem to be fast for this stage of the weekend. Usually they are going through their program and true pace is shown in FP3.
7th to 16th is separated by 0.4 seconds. The mid field battle is really close.
Brake lock ups caused a couple of teams to cease their FP1 programs.
Max expects too much too soon. This time finishing in the barrier mid session after a rear lock up.
The Force India's a quick here again.
The Mercedes and Red Bulls are at the top of the time sheets. Ferrari is on a different program and playing their cards lose to their chest.
Williams seem to be fast for this stage of the weekend. Usually they are going through their program and true pace is shown in FP3.
7th to 16th is separated by 0.4 seconds. The mid field battle is really close.
Brake lock ups caused a couple of teams to cease their FP1 programs.
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
FP2 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:42.795 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
2 1:42.864 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
3 1:42.911 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
4 1:43.570 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
5 1:43.603 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
6 1:43.700 Fernando Alonso McLaren
7 1:43.814 Esteban Ocon Force India
8 1:43.834 Carlos Sainz Renault
9 1:43.977 Kevin Magnussen Haas
10 1:44.091 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
11 1:44.127 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
12 1:44.142 Sergio Perez Force India
13 1:44.425 Romain Grosjean Haas
14 1:44.459 Lance Stroll Williams
15 1:44.712 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
16 1:44.940 Charles Leclerc Sauber
17 1:45.007 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
18 1:45.051 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
19 1:45.288 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
20 1:46.042 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
FP2 had the usual brake lock ups causing flat spots so teams will have to be careful not to run out of their preferred option tyre compound.
Marcus Ericsson had a gearbox issue which forced his session into an early conclusion.
Max Verstappen finished the session with some engine gremlin. He brought the car back into the pits but with limits to his maximum revs.
Marcus Ericsson had a gearbox issue which forced his session into an early conclusion.
Max Verstappen finished the session with some engine gremlin. He brought the car back into the pits but with limits to his maximum revs.
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
FP3 Results
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:43.091 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 1:43.452 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 1:43.493 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
4 1:43.519 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
5 1:43.569 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
6 1:43.936 Sergio Perez Force India
7 1:43.958 Kevin Magnussen Haas
8 1:44.123 Lance Stroll Williams
9 1:44.220 Esteban Ocon Force India
10 1:44.534 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
11 1:44.763 Fernando Alonso McLaren
12 1:44.861 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
13 1:44.905 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
14 1:45.218 Charles Leclerc Sauber
15 1:45.261 Romain Grosjean Haas
16 1:45.432 Carlos Sainz Renault
17 1:45.456 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
18 1:45.505 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
19 1:45.910 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
20 1:46.186 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
Qualifying
Code: Select all
Pos Time Driver Team
1 1:41.498 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 1:41.677 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 1:41.837 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4 1:41.911 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
5 1:41.994 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
6 1:42.490 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
7 1:42.523 Esteban Ocon Force India
8 1:42.547 Sergio Perez Force India
9 1:43.066 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
10 1:43.351 Carlos Sainz Renault
__________________________________________________________________
11 1:43.585 Lance Stroll Williams
12 1:43.886 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
13 1:44.019 Fernando Alonso McLaren
14 1:44.074 Charles Leclerc Sauber
15 1:44.759 Kevin Magnussen Haas
__________________________________________________________________
16 1:44.489 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
17 1:44.496 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
18 1:45.541 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
19 1:57.354 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
20 No Time Romain Grosjean Haas
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
Q1 and we witnessed what could have been the biggest accident in F1 history.
Brendon Hartley's front tyre punctured and, while circulating back towards the pits, was almost cleaned up by his team mate Pierre Gasly.
Gasly jinked to the right at 300+kph to avoid Hartley while Hartley also jinked right. Gasly cleared the other Toro Rosso with millimeters to spare but ended up in the runoff of turn 15.
Reflexes and good luck are all that averted a monumental accident.
Grosjean's Haas had a suspected gearbox failure and the car remained behind the barriers for the duration of qualifying.
Hulkenberg will incur a 5 place grid penalty for a gearbox change.
Both Hartley and Grosjean will start at the stewards discretion after Hartley's lap was outside the 107% and Grosjean didn't complete a timed lap.
Brendon Hartley's front tyre punctured and, while circulating back towards the pits, was almost cleaned up by his team mate Pierre Gasly.
Gasly jinked to the right at 300+kph to avoid Hartley while Hartley also jinked right. Gasly cleared the other Toro Rosso with millimeters to spare but ended up in the runoff of turn 15.
Reflexes and good luck are all that averted a monumental accident.
Grosjean's Haas had a suspected gearbox failure and the car remained behind the barriers for the duration of qualifying.
Hulkenberg will incur a 5 place grid penalty for a gearbox change.
Both Hartley and Grosjean will start at the stewards discretion after Hartley's lap was outside the 107% and Grosjean didn't complete a timed lap.
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
Grid
Code: Select all
Pos Driver Team
1 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
2 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
3 Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
4 Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
5 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
6 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
7 Esteban Ocon Force India
8 Sergio Perez Force India
9 Carlos Sainz Renault
10 Lance Stroll Williams
11 Sergey Sirotkin Williams
12 Fernando Alonso McLaren
13 Charles Leclerc Sauber
14 Nico Hulkenberg Renault
15 Kevin Magnussen Haas
16 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
17 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
18 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
19 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
20 Romain Grosjean Haas
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
Race Result
Code: Select all
Pos Driver Team
1 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes
2 Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari
3 Sergio Perez Force India
4 Sebastian Vettel Ferrari
5 Carlos Sainz Renault
6 Charles Leclerc Sauber
7 Fernando Alonso McLaren
8 Lance Stroll Williams
9 Stoffel Vandoorne McLaren
10 Brendon Hartley Toro Rosso
11 Marcus Ericsson Sauber
12 Pierre Gasly Toro Rosso
13 Kevin Magnussen Haas
DNF Valtteri Bottas Mercedes
DNF Romain Grosjean Haas
DNF Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing
DNF Daniel Ricciardo Red Bull Racing
DNF Nico Hulkenberg Renault
DNF Esteban Ocon Force India
DNF Sergey Sirotkin Williams
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Re: The 2018 Azerbaijan GP Thread
Well. What can we say?
Boys will be boys? The Red Bulls butted heads many times in the race and it just seemed a matter to time before it ended in heartbreak. Yes, it was just fair and each driver gave the other just the minimum amount of space but it was always going to end in tears.
The sheer length of the straight gave the drivers the opportunity to pass and then have to defend against being passed back coming into the braking zone. Combined with the narrowness around the castle, the circuit creates a good blend for all drivers to show their worth.
Unluckiest driver has to be Valtteri Bottas. The strategy played by Mercedes had the race in his pocket and for one piece of debris on the main straight, it should have been his.
I can see that Seb had to take the opportunity on the restart however it might have been a little rash. The straight would have /could have been the best option on the next lap, even without DRS, but he tried to do a Ricciardo, locked the inside front, and paid the penalty for the last 3 laps.
And only 2 teams didn't score points. Red Bull through their own doing and Haas.
My Driver of the day would have to go to Charles Leclerc bringing his Sauber home in 6th but honorable mention would also go to Sergio Perez for his 3rd place.
So, in summary. Bring on Barcelona!
Boys will be boys? The Red Bulls butted heads many times in the race and it just seemed a matter to time before it ended in heartbreak. Yes, it was just fair and each driver gave the other just the minimum amount of space but it was always going to end in tears.
The sheer length of the straight gave the drivers the opportunity to pass and then have to defend against being passed back coming into the braking zone. Combined with the narrowness around the castle, the circuit creates a good blend for all drivers to show their worth.
Unluckiest driver has to be Valtteri Bottas. The strategy played by Mercedes had the race in his pocket and for one piece of debris on the main straight, it should have been his.
I can see that Seb had to take the opportunity on the restart however it might have been a little rash. The straight would have /could have been the best option on the next lap, even without DRS, but he tried to do a Ricciardo, locked the inside front, and paid the penalty for the last 3 laps.
And only 2 teams didn't score points. Red Bull through their own doing and Haas.
My Driver of the day would have to go to Charles Leclerc bringing his Sauber home in 6th but honorable mention would also go to Sergio Perez for his 3rd place.
So, in summary. Bring on Barcelona!