Azerbaijan GP: Qualifying - RE-CAP & RESULTS

AZERBAIJAN GP - QUALIFYING - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Sebastian Vettel took another pole position while other drivers dealt with near-misses and penalties ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

    Pierre Gasly and Brendon Hartley nearly collided in Q1 after Hartley tapped the walls and was trailing with a puncture. Gasly managed to swerve out of the way but it was an overall disastrous qualifying for the Italian team.

    Hulkenberg and Grosjean both received a 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox changes. 

    Grosjean and Hartley had to get permission from the stewards to race after failing to get a time in that was within the 107% regulation. Grosjean, in fact, did not set a time at all in qualifying due to a gearbox failure.

HOW IT WORKS:

Q1 = 18 minutes. All cars allowed to go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q2 = 15 minutes. The remaining cars go out. At the end of the session, the five slowest are eliminated.

Q3 = 12 minutes. Final 10 cars go out. The final order at the end of the session is how the grid will line up. Fastest car starts from Pole Position.

GRID LINE-UP:

1. Sebastian Vettel / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Valtteri Bottas / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

4. Daniel Ricciardo / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

5. Max Verstappen / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

6. Kimi Raikkonen / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

7. Esteban Ocon / Force India-Mercedes / France

8. Sergio Perez / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

9. Carlos Sainz / Renault-Renault / Spain

10. Lance Stroll / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

11. Sergey Sirotkin / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

12. Fernando Alonso / McLaren-Renault / Spain

13. Charles Leclerc / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

14. Nico Hulkenberg / Renault-Renault / Germany*

15. Kevin Magnussen / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

16. Stoffel Vandoorne / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

17. Pierre Gasly / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

18. Marcus Ericsson / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

19. Brendon Hartley / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand+

20. Romain Grosjean / Haas-Ferrari / France*+

* - (Hulkenberg & Grosjean) 5-Place-Grid-Penalty for unscheduled gearbox change

+ - (Grosjean & Hartley) Granted permission by stewards to race after failing to set times within the 107% regulation.

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Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AZERBAIJAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #3 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Sebastian Vettel topped the final practice session of the weekend, setting a 1:43.091.

    The Ferrari driver finished just ahead of Lewis Hamilton, who was quick as well, with a 1:43.452. Raikkonen, Verstappen and Bottas were also in the top 5.

    A handful of drivers, including Grosjean and Hartley, found themselves in run-off areas after different incidents. It was a tough session for Hartley, finishing 20th with a 1:46.186. Team-mate, Gasly, was higher up in 13th, with a 1:44.905.

    Sergey Sirotkin crashed his Williams at Turn 3 but still finished the session in 10th with a quickest time of 1:44.534. Lance Stroll in the other Williams, finished a few spaces ahead in 8th.

    Force India continued their better form with both drivers inside the top 10. A time of 1:43.936 put Perez in 6th, while Ocon finished in 9th.

TIMES:

1. Sebastian Vettel - 1:43.091 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany

2. Lewis Hamilton - 1:43.452 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain

3. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:43.493 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland

4. Max Verstappen - 1:43.519 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands

5. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.569 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland

6. Sergio Perez - 1:43.936 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico

7. Kevin Magnussen - 1:43.958 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark

8. Lance Stroll - 1:44.123 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada

9. Esteban Ocon - 1:44.220 / Force India-Mercedes / France

10. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:44.534 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia

11. Fernando Alonso - 1:44.763 / McLaren-Renault / Spain

12. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.861 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia

13. Pierre Gasly - 1:44.905 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France

14. Charles Leclerc - 1:45.118 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco

15. Romain Grosjean - 1:45.261 / Haas-Ferrari / France

16. Carlos Sainz - 1:45.432 / Renault-Renault / Spain

17. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:45.456 / Renault-Renault / Germany

18. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:45.505 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium

19. Marcus Ericsson - 1:45.910 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

20. Brendon Hartley - 1:46.186 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand

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Formula 2 - Azerbaijan - Feature Race - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - AZERBAIJAN - FEATURE RACE - RESULTS

1. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand / + 25 Points + 4 Points (Pole)

2. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain / + 18 Points

3. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy / + 15 Points + 2 Points (Fastest Lap)

4. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil / + 12 Points

5. Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada / + 10 Points

6. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain / + 8 Points

7. Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland / + 6 Points

8. Roberto Merhi / MP Motorsport / Spain / + 4 Points

9. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan / + 2 Points

10. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia / + 1 Point

11. Santino Ferrucci / Trident / USA

12. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

13. Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan

RETIRED - Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands / Accident

RETIRED - Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia / Engine

RETIRED - Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel / Crash

RETIRED - Arjun Maini / Trident / India / Engine

RETIRED - Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany / Suspension Damage

RETIRED - Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy / Crash

RETIRED - Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland / Car Damage

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Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice #2 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AZERBAIJAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #2 - RE-CAP & RESULTS

    Daniel Ricciardo showed Red Bull’s pace with a series of fast laps in free practice two that put him comfortably top of the order.

    Ricciardo went fastest in the first 10 minutes of the session and consistently found improvements throughout his qualifying simulation that always kept him just out of reach of Mercedes and Ferrari. While others struggled with tyre degradation, Riccardo managed three flying laps, separated by cool down laps, on a single set of ultrasoft tyres.

    He ended the session with a 1m42.795s time, enough to put him 0.069s clear of Kimi Raikkonen in second.

    After a troubled FP1, Max Verstappen managed to head out just 20 minutes into the 90 minute session. He immediately began to push, locking up at turn three and putting himself P8 on his first flying lap. He later improved to third, a tenth of a second slower than his team-mate.

    Verstappen’s session finished early as he cruised back to the pits while the rest of the field started long pace runs. The team believed he may have a problem, but he later explained it was simply a sensor issue.

    Valtteri Bottas was the fastest Merecdes. He was Riccardo’s closest competitor in the first part of the session but couldn’t keep up with the Red Bull’s improvements and ended the day fourth, less than a tenth of a second faster than team-mate Lewis Hamilton.

    Fernando Alonso picked up best of the rest in fifth, ahead of Esteban Ocon and Carlos Sainz, who was making up for a disappointing FP1.

    Kevin Magnussen and Nico Hulkenberg rounded out the top 10. Hulkenberg’s running was limited 
early in the session as the mechanics replaced the plank underneath his car. He managed strong running in the second half, however, completing a total of 33 laps.

    Sebastian Vettel finished outside the top 10 in P11, 1.3s off the pace. He was followed by Sergio Perez, Romain Grosjean, and Lance Stroll.

    Rookies Pierre Gasly, Charles Leclerc, Sergey Sirotkin, and Brendon Hartley filled P15 to P18, ahead of Stoffel Vandoorne.

    Marcus Ericsson, who suffered a gearbox problem early in the session, rounds out the order having only completed nine laps.

TIMES:

1. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:42.795 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
2. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:42.864 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
3. Max Verstappen - 1:42.911 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
4. Valtteri Bottas - 1:43.570 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
5. Lewis Hamilton - 1:43.603 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
6. Fernando Alonso - 1:43.700 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
7. Esteban Ocon - 1:43.814 / Force India-Mercedes / France
8. Carlos Sainz - 1:43.834 / Renault-Renault / Spain
9. Kevin Magnussen - 1:43.977 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
10. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:44.091 / Renault-Renault / Germany
11. Sebastian Vettel - 1:44.127 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
12. Sergio Perez - 1:44.142 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
13. Romain Grosjean - 1:44.425 / Haas-Ferrari / France
14. Lance Stroll - 1:44.459 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
15. Pierre Gasly - 1:44.712 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
16. Charles Leclerc - 1:44.940 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
17. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:45.007 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
18. Brendon Hartley - 1:45.051 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
19. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:45.288 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
20. Marcus Ericsson - 1:46.042 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden

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Formula 2 - Azerbaijan - Qualifying - RESULTS

FORMULA 2 - AZERBAIJAN - QUALIFYING - RESULTS

1. Alexander Albon / DAMS / Thailand

2. Lando Norris / Carlin / Great Britain

3. George Russell / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

4. Luca Ghiotto / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

5. Sergio Sette Camara / Carlin / Brazil

6. Jack Aitken / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

7. Arjun Maini / Trident / India

8. Nyck de Vries / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

9. Ralph Boschung / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

10. Tadasuke Makino / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

11. Roberto Merhi / MP Motorsport / Spain

12. Antonio Fuoco / Charouz Racing System / Italy

13. Louis Deletraz / Charouz Racing System / Switzerland

14. Sean Gelael / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

15. Artem Markelov / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

16. Roy Nissany / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

DISQUALIFIED - Maximilian Gunther / BWT Arden / Germany*

DISQUALIFIED - Nirei Fukuzumi / BWT Arden / Japan*

DISQUALIFIED - Santino Ferrucci / Trident / USA**

DISQUALIFIED - Nicholas Latifi / DAMS / Canada***

* - (Gunther & Fukuzumi) BWT Arden had both drivers disqualified after the team had over the 12 allowed personnel associating with the operation of the vehicles 

** - (Ferrucci) Disqualified from Qualifying for failing to adhere to the minimum tyre pressure

*** - (Latifi) Disqualified for not setting a time within the 107% regulation. 

Note: All 4 drivers have been given permission to race.

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Azerbaijan GP: Free Practice #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

AZERBAIJAN GP - FREE PRACTICE #1 - RE-CAP & TIMES

    Valtteri Bottas led Daniel Ricciardo in the first free practice session ahead of the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

    The Mercedes driver’s 1m44.242s time put him 0.9s faster than anybody when he set it, though Ricciardo later cut the gap down to just 0.035s.

    The Red Bull duo of Ricciardo and Max Verstappen set the pace in the first half hour of the 90 minute session, followed closely by Lewis Hamilton and Bottas.

    The mood at the Milton Keynes based squad turned, however, when Verstappen was sent into the barrier just after the 30 minute mark. Verstappen lost control of his car while on the brakes at turn six and slid into the wall, bringing out the virtual safety car.

    Verstappen was unable to get back out before the end of the session and dropped down the order to finish sixth.

    After a disappointing weekend in China, Force India was back on the pace on the streets of Baku. Both drivers spent the session at the sharp end of the field, with Sergio Perez jumping up to third with his final lap of the session. Perez ended FP1 just 0.8s behind Ricciardo and 0.125s ahead of Hamilton in P4. Esteban Ocon took P5.

    Fernando Alonso finished seventh quickest, ahead of Sergey Sirotkin and Pierre Gasly.

    Most of the field spent the session struggling to get their Pirelli tyres in the right temperature window. Ferrari seemed to especially have problems with their rear tyres, leaving them 16th and 17th after the first part of the session. Both found improvements later on, with Sebastian Vettel managing to break into the top 10, but he was still more than two seconds slower than Bottas.

    Raikkonen, who’s session ended early, was even further back, ending FP1 15th quickest and 2.6s off the pace.

    Lance Stroll finished the morning just outside the top 10 in P11, ahead of Brendon Hartley, who was the first of many drivers to make use of the escape road.

    Renault brought new upgrades to Baku, some specifically designed for the unique street circuit and others intended for use throughout the season. Neither driver managed to make it into the top 10, with Nico Hulkenberg the best of the pair in P13. He suffered with lock ups throughout the session and at one point struggled to make it to the pits due to his flat spotted tyres. Team-mate Carlos Sainz ended FP1 slowest, more than four seconds off the pace and seven tenths of a second behind Stoffel Vandoorne in 19th.

    Romain Grosjean led a Ferrari-powered quintet in P14, ending the session ahead of Raikkonen, Charles Leclerc, Marcus Ericsson and Kevin Magnussen.

TIMES:

1. Valtteri Bottas - 1:44.242 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Finland
2. Daniel Ricciardo - 1:44.277 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Australia
3. Sergio Perez - 1:45.075 / Force India-Mercedes / Mexico
4. Lewis Hamilton - 1:45.200 / Mercedes-Mercedes / Great Britain
5. Esteban Ocon - 1:45.237 / Force India-Mercedes / France
6. Max Verstappen - 1:45.559 / Red Bull Racing-TAG-Heuer / Netherlands
7. Fernando Alonso - 1:46.465 / McLaren-Renault / Spain
8. Sergey Sirotkin - 1:46.480 / Williams-Mercedes / Russia
9. Pierre Gasly - 1:46.492 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / France
10. Sebastian Vettel - 1:46.513 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Germany
11. Lance Stroll - 1:46.590 / Williams-Mercedes / Canada
12. Brendon Hartley - 1:46.747 / Scuderia Toro Rosso-Honda / New Zealand
13. Nico Hulkenberg - 1:46.749 / Renault-Renault / Germany
14. Romain Grosjean - 1:46.856 / Haas-Ferrari / France
15. Kimi Raikkonen - 1:46.861 / Ferrari-Ferrari / Finland
16. Charles Leclerc - 1:46.875 / Sauber-Ferrari / Monaco
17. Marcus Ericsson - 1:47.073 / Sauber-Ferrari / Sweden
18. Kevin Magnussen - 1:47.434 / Haas-Ferrari / Denmark
19. Stoffel Vandoorne - 1:47.967 / McLaren-Renault / Belgium
20. Carlos Sainz - 1:48.741 / Renault-Renault / Spain

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Formula 2 - Azerbaijan - Free Practice - TIMES

FORMULA 2 - AZERBAIJAN - FREE PRACTICE - TIMES

1. Sergio Sette Camara - 1:57.136 / Carlin / Brazil

2. Luca Ghiotto - 1:57.208 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Italy

3. Ralph Boschung - 1:57.629 / MP Motorsport / Switzerland

4. Alexander Albon - 1:57.944 / DAMS / Thailand

5. George Russell - 1:57.962 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

6. Lando Norris - 1:57.976 / Carlin / Great Britain

7. Tadasuke Makino - 1:57.997 / RUSSIAN TIME / Japan

8. Antonio Fuoco - 1:58.385 / Charouz Racing System / Italy

9. Arjun Maini - 1:58.431 / Trident / India

10. Nirei Fukuzumi - 1:58.714 / BWT Arden / Japan

11. Sean Gelael - 1:58.778 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Indonesia

12. Roy Nissany - 1:59.081 / Campos Vexatec Racing / Israel

13. Maximilian Gunther - 1:59.327 / BWT Arden / Germany

14. Santino Ferrucci - 1:59.525 / Trident / USA

15. Jack Aitken - 1:59.653 / ART Grand Prix / Great Britain

16. Nicholas Latifi - 1:59.767 / DAMS / Canada

17. Nyck de Vries - 2:00.735 / PERTAMINA PREMA Theodore Racing / Netherlands

18. Louis Deletraz - 2:01.075 / Charou Racing System / Switzerland

19. Roberto Merhi - 2:01.816 / MP Motorsport / Spain

20. Artem Markelov - 2:26.820 / RUSSIAN TIME / Russia

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Red Bull

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ASTON MARTIN RED BULL RACING

Daniel Ricciardo - “Baku is different to other street circuits – because there are places where you can pass. Actually, lots of places where you can pass. As opposed to Monaco and Singapore where there’s not many places to overtake really.

    The trickiest thing in Baku is braking. There’s so many braking points where you have to commit and you have to brake as late as you can – but there’s no room for error. Once you’ve committed to that braking point, if you’ve locked a wheel, you’re in the wall. I’d say the hardest part about Baku is finding the limit with braking, and just having that confidence.

    You have Turn One, Turn Two and then the DRS straight. We’re honking down there, and then you see the wall coming, coming, coming and your instinct is to brake, brake, brake, brake. You need a lot of confidence to leave it late. That’s the biggest challenge with Baku, being able to really attack the braking, it’s such a high-speed circuit. Monaco is not that high-speed, it’s more about cornering, and Baku is more braking.

    With a street circuit you have to love it – but you also have to respect it and understand it. I understand that, to be fast, you have to be on the limit – but put yourself there and it can bite you.

    Last year Baku was crazy in so many ways for so many people. Just like last week in Shanghai the team had an awesome strategy and made some great calls in the race. Did I think we would carve our way all the way up to first, no way, but everyone in front was dropping like flies, I was making some good overtakes and there was just all this momentum keeping me going. Crossing the line I was a bit confused, thinking how did we just win that race but also ecstatic. It was crazy, fun race and definitely one to remember.”

Max Verstappen - “Last year was a very unfortunate weekend for me. It was a shame because the car felt really good but I encountered a lot of problems which ultimately meant I missed out on a potential podium, perhaps even a win. I’m hoping this year I can make up for that lost opportunity.

    Baku is a cool place so I enjoy going there and driving the track. It’s a nice circuit even though it isn’t ideally suited to our car. The straight is so long which means we miss out on some valuable time there. Last year I think we managed to drive around our problems really well and therefore be competitive come the race day.

    The castle section looks great on TV and is also a lot of fun to drive. It is really tight so you have to be precise turning in as there is no room for error, especially with the wider cars we have now.

    I still haven’t managed to get out and see a lot of Baku. The hotel is right next to the paddock, so as well as being really convenient it also limits what you see of the city over a busy race weekend. I have heard the local food is really tasty so I’ll do my best this year to get out and find some delicacies.”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Williams

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - WILLIAMS MARTINI RACING

Lance Stroll - "I have some great memories of Baku. It was my first podium in Formula One, so I shall never forget that, and the whole experience was amazing. Not only is it a great circuit, but Baku itself is a nice place. I had never been before, so it was all new to me last year but there was definitely a lot to see in the city. The track is pretty spectacular to drive. It is a long lap and is a technical track with a bit of everything. Since it is a street circuit and there are walls all round it, there is no room for errors."

Sergey Sirotkin - "I think Baku is quite a difficult track with a combination of very long, high-speed straights and tricky, hard braking zones. There’s no room for mistake which makes it quite a good race and it gives you good overtaking opportunities. It was a good track for the team last year as they had good success so I’m looking forward to getting there and going racing."

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Haas

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - HAAS F1 TEAM

Romain Grosjean - "The car is really good, and the team has done a good job. We haven’t had much luck yet. We’ve had three races where we were looking at points, and three times where we haven’t scored. Knowing that we’ve got a good baseline and a good car is very exciting. I know it’s going to come our way at some point. Hopefully, that’s going to be in Baku.

    Baku is definitely a different circuit from the rest. There’s that massive long straight line – where top speed plays a key role – and then you’ve got the very twisty part around the castle, where the balance needs to be good. It’s going to be a good challenge. It’s not a race where we were very competitive last year.

    It’ll be interesting to see how much progress we’ve made. It’s a really exciting grand prix – a lot can happen. There are always good opportunities, so we’ll try to get them there.

    There’s a nice battle at the front, then there’s quite a significant gap, then there’s the midfield battle, where one race it’s the Renault that’s the fastest, the next one it’s a Toro Rosso, another race it’s the Haas or maybe the McLaren. That makes it super exciting.

    We need to get everything super right – down to the last tenths of a second – to be qualifying in front of the others and race from there. It’s pretty exciting. Obviously, the front is a different situation, where Mercedes hasn’t won yet, but they’re still up there fighting really hard.”

Kevin Magnussen - "Our car balance should be fine in Baku. It’s true that we do have a very good car this year – it’s very well balanced. But it’s going to be very difficult to predict how we’re going to be in Baku, as we don’t know what other people are going to bring in terms of special packages for that circuit. We’re going to try and get the most out of the car, but it’s going to be interesting to see what other people do.

    At the moment, I think we are very even with Renault and perhaps a little faster than McLaren, at least in qualifying. The rest of the midfield, perhaps, seems a little more inconsistent, but they can definitely be up there with the rest of us on occasions. Renault is probably the strongest competitor in the midfield, but I think we have a car that can easily match them, and when we do well, beat them also.

    That should be our aim at the moment – to be fighting those guys. Obviously, we want to improve on last year’s result, which was eighth, and I think that’s a feasible target. We’re doing well at the moment, in terms of performance, but if we find ourselves in a good position halfway through the season, then maybe we have to reset our goals.”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Toro Rosso

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RED BULL TORO ROSSO HONDA

Brendon Hartley - “I’m looking forward to going to another new circuit. I don’t know how many different circuits I’ve driven in my career but I’m always excited to drive a new one. I think it’s very unique, being a street track, some really interesting corners with no room for error, which is always something I enjoy - probably most of the other drivers do too so we’re all in the same boat.

    From driving it on the simulator, the bit by the castle almost reminds me of Macau, which is one of my favourite tracks. I think I’m going to enjoy it and I’m really looking forward to the fourth race of the season. Apart from all the sim work, plus looking at videos of past races, I’ll be doing as much study as I can, so that I’d like to think that within 10 laps, you’re pretty much up to speed.

    Obviously experience counts for a lot when you’re learning a new track. You certainly expect that the sim is modeled as close to the real thing as possible but it’s always hard to know - is that kerb exactly the same? Does it get the same amount of grip? Are there other factors? Are there marbles? Therefore, it’s also useful to look at video of past races to see what lines the drivers take and you can also learn from that…and I can’t wait to have our track walk on Thursday.”

Pierre Gasly - “Baku is a really exciting track because, first of all, it’s a street track so the risk is doubled or higher due to the walls everywhere, but I also think just the characteristics of the track with that long straight make it interesting. It’s super-fast! I think last year the top speed in Formula 1 was really crazy, so as a driver it’s super exciting but it’s also super risky. I’m excited to go there.

    I remember watching the race last year as a reserve driver and it was one of the most exciting Formula 1 races of the season so I’m happy to be part of it this year and hopefully, it’s going to turn out well for us. The narrow bit near the castle? I think it’s the tightest corner of the championship. In a way, it’s a corner where you can make a lot of time but you can lose everything as well because it’s a low speed corner.

    In the low speed corners, a few kilometres minimum speed can make quite a lot of time. Every time you go there it’s interesting, because you are a few centimetres every lap from the barrier so in terms of focus it’s really intense…it’s not a track where you can go a bit wider on the outside kerb and then maybe you just touch a bit of grass and you have some dust coming out of the tyres. No, if you are just a few centimetres too wide then you go straight in the wall and that’s it!

    The straight feels very fast because the walls feel close and it definitely feels even faster when you come to brake for Turn 1! I finished second in the end of my GP2 race here, so it was a good race fighting for the victory until the last lap. I started 18th and finished 2nd… it was a crazy race but certainly one to remember!”

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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Sauber

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - ALFA ROMEO SAUBER F1 TEAM

Marcus Ericsson - "The race in Baku will be our first street race of the season. It is quite a cool track, with a good mix of high-speed sectors and challenging corners. What is special about the track is that it features some twisty parts, mainly around the castle. The track is very narrow there, and you must be very precise as a driver.

    Another challenge will be to set up the car to suit the demands of the circuit. Tyre management will be a key factor, as the degradation of the tyres is quite high during the race. I look forward to going to Baku, and continuing our strong performance from the first three races of the year."

Charles Leclerc - "I look forward to going back to Baku. I had a strong race there last year, when I was competing in Formula 2, and feel quite comfortable on the Baku City Circuit. I particularly like city tracks. They are challenging for drivers, as you cannot afford to make any errors. The atmosphere there is great, and the view of the old town and castle is spectacular.

    It will be interesting to learn about the tyre management during the practice sessions. This will prepare us for the challenges of this circuit, and allow us to work on finding the right set-up and perform well in the race. I’m excited to be back in the car."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Force India

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - SAHARA FORCE INDIA F1 TEAM

Sergio Perez - "It only feels like yesterday we were racing in Baku, but I guess it’s a bit earlier in the calendar this year. It’s already a track with a big reputation and I have special memories from 2016 and our podium. It’s a track where we have always been competitive so I want to go there this year and score points.

    The first few races haven’t gone very smoothly for me. I think I’ve been unlucky, especially in Bahrain, but I know it sometimes happens in racing. The last race in China was really disappointing because I lost out on lap one and there was no way to recover to the points. Our pace was competitive and we took another step forward with the car performance, but things just didn’t work out on race day.

    The progress we have made since Melbourne was visible in Shanghai and I’m feeling happier with the balance of the car now. We are catching up and getting back to our normal position. I think Baku will be interesting because it’s all about good top speed and being confident on the brakes. I love the challenge of street tracks and I really enjoy driving in Baku."

Esteban Ocon - "Baku is a cool event. It’s so fast with the longest straight of the year, which is quite unusual for a street circuit. It produced probably the best race for fans last year. I love the atmosphere of city races and it’s a really interesting place to explore. I also enjoy the delayed schedule because we wake up later in the day and there is more chance to have a good night’s sleep.

My first race in Baku last year was pretty eventful. So much happened in the race and it was definitely a missed opportunity for us. We were competitive so I hope we can be quick again this year. The racing down the main straight was really cool and if you pick up a tow you can find a huge speed advantage.

    It is a place where you can go three or four cars wide, which is insane. It’s not the sort of racing you often see in Formula One so it’s quite exciting when it happens. There are good overtaking opportunities so you can make up a lot of ground even if you’re at the back.

    Baku is definitely a great chance for us to score points. The car is improving with each race and I can see how hard everybody is working to find more performance. At every race this year we’ve had new items to test and it’s the same this weekend. It’s still early days in the season and if we can unlock the potential in the car I think we can be up there fighting consistently at the front of the midfield."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - Renault

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - RENAULT SPORT FORMULA ONE TEAM

Nico Hulkenberg - "It’s a positive start to the season, and it’s good to be at the front end of the midfield. It’s important to keep picking up a good number of points to make sure we are in the hunt. It’s about continuing on this upward trajectory and putting the work in to make sure we are ahead of our rivals."

Carlos Sainz - "In general, I think these three first races have been quite positive and the whole team is showing great commitment to achieve our objectives. On my side, I have had the chance to try different set ups in the car and I’m confident we’re heading in the right direction. We have to keep up the good work and always try to improve to bring as many points home as possible."

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Azerbaijan GP: Driver Preview Quotes - McLaren

DRIVER PREVIEW QUOTES - McLAREN F1 TEAM

Fernando Alonso - “Last year’s race in Baku was certainly a memorable one for us. It was a crazy grand prix and we scored our first points of the season there, so we’ll naturally be looking to repeat that this weekend.

    Even though it’s only been on the calendar for a short time, this circuit is already known among the drivers as a great racer’s track. It’s the fastest street track of the year and also one of the longest, so it’s pretty tough on the car and the driver, but that’s definitely part of the appeal.

    We know our limitations and where we need to improve our package, and, although we bring parts to test to every race weekend, we aren’t anticipating a radical change in our performance in Baku. 

    However, we’re learning more and more about the behaviour of our car each time we step into the cockpit, and in Azerbaijan we’ll be maximising everything we have as usual to score as many points as possible.”

Stoffel Vandoorne - “Baku City Circuit is a pretty tough but also enjoyable track, and it’s quite challenging for the drivers. You literally drive through the historic centre of the old town which was a really cool experience last year, and overtaking is tricky on the narrow streets.

    Saying that, we saw anything but a processional race last year and hopefully we can take advantage of any drama that this track throws at us next weekend. Last year was tough as the only real overtaking opportunity is at the end of the long straight, and it’ll be tricky for us again, but we’ll see what’s possible with the MCL33.

    As well as making sure we set ourselves up on the right strategy, for me the start will be crucial on Sunday. I’ve not had the best starts over the last couple of races and with overtaking tough here we need to try to maximise our starting position.

    In China, we fought hard but I picked up some floor damage which made pushing ahead very difficult, so I’m looking forward to a tight battle in the midfield and progressing as much as we can in the race.”

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Article Posted By: Amy Hawk
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Azerbaijan GP: Circuit Preview

AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - CIRCUIT PREVIEW

Name: Baku City Circuit

Location: Azadliq Square, Baku, Azerbaijan

Opened: 2016

Length: 3.73 Miles

Capacity: 18,500

Runs: Anti-Clockwise

Turns: 20

Race Laps: 51

2017 RACE STATS:

Pole Position: Lewis Hamilton

1st Place: Daniel Ricciardo

2nd Place: Valtteri Bottas

3rd Place: Lance Stroll

Retirements: Jolyon Palmer (Engine), Daniil Kvyat (Electrical), Max Verstappen (Oil Pressure), Nico Hulkenberg (Accident), Felipe Massa (Suspension), Sergio Perez (Steering) & Kimi Raikkonen (Oil Leak)*

* - Notes Raikkonen retired from the race but had completed at least 90% of the race distance and qualified as finished.

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Article Written By: Amy Hawk

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Azerbaijan GP: Track Schedule

AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2018 - TRACK SCHEDULE 

April 26th / Thursday

14:00 - 15:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (PUBLIC) (4-Day-Ticket-Holders only)

15:00 - 16:00 - Press Conference (Located in the Press Room)

18:05 - 18:30 - Pit-Lane Walk (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

18:35 - 19:05 - Truck Tour (F1 Experience - F1 Experience Guests Only)

April 27th / Friday

11:55 - 12:25 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

11:55 - 12:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

13:00 - 14:30 - Free Practice #1

15:40 - 16:45 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:40 - 16:10 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

17:00 - 18:30 - Free Practice #2

18:45 - 19:30 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

April 28th / Saturday

10:05 - 10:35 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

11:00 - 11:30 - Team Pit-Stop Practice

14:00 - 15:00 - Free Practice #3

15:05 - 16:40 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

15:50 - 16:20 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

17:00 - 18:00 - Qualifying

18:30 - 19:00 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

April 29th / Sunday

11:25 - 12:35 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

11:35 - 12:05 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

14:10 - 15:10 - Paddock Club Pit-Lane Walk

14:30 - 15:00 - Paddock Club Truck Tour

14:40 - 15:10 - Drivers Track Parade

15:56 - 15:58 - National Anthem

16:10 - 18:00 - Race

* - Subject to change

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Written By: Amy Hawk

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