Monaco’s revenge in Baku?
After his disappointment at home, Charles Leclerc is the first driver to take pole position in Baku for the second time and he intends to transform the test to replace himself in the race for the title despite the many unknowns.
Circumstances had not worked in his favor in the Principality and nothing says that the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will be synonymous with revenge on fate, as the risks of incidents and repeated neutralizations are part of the equation in Baku . However, the Monegasque showed such authority throughout the tests that we wish him the best at the wheel of a devilishly efficient Ferrari on this terrain.
Admittedly, the Red Bulls are supposed to have the advantage in top speed but this is low and the winding part more favorable to the F1-75. Without excessive aggressiveness, Carlos Sainz could have blocked the front row for the Scuderia and as Baku is a kind of anti-Monaco, insofar as overtaking (especially at the DRS) is easy there, one can imagine all the scenarios.
Besides, couldn’t the latent rivalry between Max Verstappen and Sergio Pérez play in favor of the Reds? The Mexican, reinvigorated by his new contract and his success in Monaco, is not ready to carry water… In short, this four-man wrestling game is far from over, in a camp as in the other.
Far behind the usual quartet, a few “usual suspects” with George Russell still ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Pierre Gasly finally in his place in third row on the grid. The grandpas Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso are resisting in the top 10, but the McLaren boys can also claim a few points. And then, on this completely crazy track, you can also experience a completely crazy race!
The Alpines were livelier on Friday than on Saturday.