Five Formula 1 Winners & Losers: Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Photo from AFP
I am not a fan of street circuits.
I feel the racing just isn’t that good.
But Baku is the exception. Baku always entertains.
And Sunday was no different.
So here are the winners and losers from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Losers
5. Carlos Sainz
Sainz has said many times that Baku does not match his driving style.
That’s ok. Sometimes drivers have tracks they don’t do so well at.
So you can imagine his disappointment when he was crashed out of the race on the second to last lap while in a podium position.
A huge bummer, and we’ll get to why he crashed in a bit.
4. Yuki Tsunoda
Yuki hasn’t finished ahead of 15th since the Hungarian Grand Prix, and his early incident with Lance Stroll meant he didn’t finish this race at all.
Yuki’s going through quite a heavy slump right now.
3. Max Verstappen
Verstappen is also going through quite a slump, but this week he was comprehensively beaten by his teammate Sergio Perez.
That doesn’t happen to Max Verstappen.
Something is very wrong at Red Bull.
2. Charles Leclerc
Charles Leclerc is dominant during qualifying at Baku.
He has still yet to convert one of those poles into a win.
Don’t get me wrong, a second place finish is excellent.
But you know he wants to win, and it has to sting that he still hasn’t at one of his favorite tracks.
1. Sergio Perez
Checo needs good results after Red Bull announced they were keeping him mid season.
And he was having a great one.
He was faster than Verstappen, and he was even somewhat in contention for the race win.
And then, while trying to get slip stream from Leclerc, he drifted into Carlos Sainz, crashing both of them out.
It’s a mistake that can’t happen for Checo, and it cost his team big points in the constructors standings, as well as some good graces for himself.
Winners
5. Alexander Albon
We know Albon is good, and we know Williams is good at power tracks like Baku.
Still, a 7th place finish for Albon is a great result for him and the team.
4. Oliver Bearman
Bearman stepped into a Formula 1 car in Jeddah with no warning, and got points with Ferrari.
This week, he replaced the suspended Kevin Magnussen for Haas, and once again got points.
Not a bad debut for the team he will be racing for next season.
3. Franco Colapinto
Colapinto replaced Logan Sargeant mid season, and it felt like a mindless sort of change.
Not because Colapinto is bad or anything, but because it felt like Williams wanted him to drive the car, get some miles and data, and crucially keep the car out of trouble.
Instead, Colapinto has been pushing the car hard, and even finished 8th to get Williams crucial constructors championship points, as well as his first ever points in Formula 1.
He’s been excellent in his two races so far.
2. Lando Norris
Lando Norris’ title challenge, if there is one, seemed to take a hit when yellow flags ruined his qualifying lap, forcing him to start 17th.
But he had a great race, with strong pace and good tire management, and got himself ahead of Max Verstappen with the fastest lap to gain 3 points in the championship.
He’s going to need more of a gap if he truly wants to compete for the title, but he did what he had to do considering the circumstances and deserves credit for it.
1. Oscar Piastri
Oscar Piastri is a star, man.
He always had pace. He just needed to do better with tire management to put it all together.
He’s gotten significantly better with tire management, he has made some audacious passes during the race, and on Sunday showed how good he is at defending the lead.
He’s a future champion. Plain as day.
