Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 9 things you need to know from qualifying
Sebastian Vettel took pole in Baku - here's everything you need to know
The stage is set for another explosive Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday after a thrilling qualifying session around the streets of Baku.
Both Mercedes looked quick, but in the end it was Sebastian Vettel in the Ferrari who sealed a third consecutive pole position.
Here’s how they finished, and everything you need to know ahead of the race:
1. Seb turns it on when it counts
It never seems to matter where Sebastian Vettel ends up in the practice sessions, come qualifying he always takes it up a notch. And so it proved here in Baku as he grabbed pole ahead of the two Mercs.
The German is looking ominously quick this year - and has a handy habit of always turning it on when it really counts.
2. But should it have been Kimi?
At the very end of Q3, Kimi Raikkonen was on an absolute flier of a lap. The Finn was blazing around the track and with the chequered flag already having been waved, was recording quicker sector times than anyone else.
The crowd roared him on as he closed in on what looked like being a hugely popular pole position… And then he had a huge tank slapper as he came out of turn 16, backed off and ended up down in sixth. A huge anti-climax and another ultimately disappointing session for Kimi in what must surely be his last season.
3. The tow gives Dan a boost
The huge 2.2km straight means there is potential to get a powerful tow around the track if you can get behind another car at the right time.
And today Ferrari inadvertently helped rivals Red Bull in the dying seconds of qualifying when Raikkonen backed off on his final lap and provided a little bit of tow for the following Daniel Ricciardo. The extra boost in speed allowed the Aussie to jump his own team-mate Max Verstappen and pop up into fourth on the grid. Bet he was smiling about that.
4. Happier Hamilton
This was Lewis Hamilton’s best qualifying result since Melbourne when he took pole. The reigning world champ looked closer to his old self and harried his Merc into second place on the grid - and looked happier after the session when he was being interviewed on the grid.
You sense he feels he again has a car he can fight for victory in, and as he said, he’ll be looking to give Vettel a hard time when the flag drops on Sunday.
5. New pants for Pierre please
The scariest moment of the whole session was undoubtedly the near miss between the two Toro Rosso cars.
Brendon Hartley was slowing after picking up a puncture when Pierre Gasly came up behind him on a hot lap. Hartley seemed to hesitate when deciding which side to go to and Gasly ended up missing him by millimetres. “What the f***!” Was his reaction to a moment that could have been so much worse, but for an inch or so.
Hartley held his hands up afterwards but that is unlikely to be much consolation for whoever does Gasly's laundry.
6. Give Leclerc and eclair
Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc had a superb day in just his fourth F1 qualifying session.
He put the car 14th on the grid after getting into Q2 - and he will start the race ahead of a McLaren, both Haas cars and both Toro Rossos. Bravo.
7. Williams and Force India hit back
Williams have had a horrific start to the season, with both cars out in Q1 at every race this season so far.
Today they got both into Q2 - and were even close to Q3 with Lance Stroll in 11th and Sergey Sirotkin just behind him in 12th. It hopefully means the team are finally starting to understand that troublesome FW41 car.
Force India also had a tricky start to the season but they will start tomorrow’s race from seventh (Esteban Ocon) and eighth (Sergio Perez) after getting both cars into Q3.
A very impressive session for them on a track that is allowing them to make use of the grunt in that Merc engine.
7. More woe for McLaren
As mentioned, Williams have had a disastrous start to the season - yet both of their cars qualified ahead of both McLaren today, in a result that will presumably trigger yet more emergency crisis meetings for the Woking wonders.
We know they have just got rid of the team’s chassis boss Tim Goss, but 13th and 16th on the grid looks pretty bad whichever way you try to cut it. Dark times for the team in orange.
8. RoGro no go
And a word on Romain Grosjean who will start from the very back of the grid after failing to set a time. His Haas had gearbox trouble on his first lap in Q1 leaving him sitting by the side of the track with his head in his hands. Can he fight his way through the pack tomorrow?
9. Penalty for Hulk
Despite another good day behind the wheel and getting his Renault into Q3 again, Nico Hulkenberg will start 14th on Sunday after he was forced to change his gearbox and incurred a five-place grid penalty.
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Comments (16)
Ha ha - totally!
That Gasly incident was insane. I thought back to Webber's flip after hitting the back of the Caterham. In that scenario the closing speed wasn't huge because it was a straight line overtake and full speed. Imagine if Gasly had hit the back of Brendan with a closing speed in the 200s.
Wasn't quite "8 things".
But I was pumped after Kimi's second sector, but my family heard me moan 2 seconds later.
But it will be interesting, he's on softer tyres than the others.
9 things! Just corrected it :)
Not sure what's happening with McLaren they seem to be going backwards.
Unless there r some spills as last yr it'll be a boring race nonetheless