Team-BHP - Formula 1: 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Where does the Azerbaijan Grand Prix take place?

The Baku City street circuit made its debut in Formula 1 as part of the 2016 European Grand Prix. Since then, it has been able to start creating its own legacy as the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

With Bernie Ecclestone agreeing a deal to race in Baku, famed F1 circuit designer Tilke was called upon to set out the layout for the 6.006-kilometre anti-clockwise street circuit.

The track starts adjacent to Azadliq Square before looping around Government House and then heading west to Maiden Tower.

An extremely narrow uphill section at the old town wall has been incorporated, as well as a long, long straight at Neftchilar Avenue which sees overtakes galore with the help of DR.

The circuit is made up of 20 corners but don’t let that fool you, this is a very quick track and one that is fast becoming a modern classic on the Formula 1 calendar.

Where to watch F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in India?

Star Sports Select 2 & Select HD2 will telecast the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in India. Online Live Stream of the qualifying and the race is available on Hotstar.

The race / Grand Prix will be held on April 28, 2019 at 16:10 local time (17:40 Indian Standard Time IST).

Practice 1 will be held on April 26 2019 at 13:00 local time (14:30 IST).

Practice 2 will also be held on the same day at 17:00 local time (18:30 IST).

Practice 3 commences at 14:00 local time (15:30 IST) on April 27 2019 while the Qualifying for the 2019 Azerbaijan GP at Baku will start at 17:00 local time (18:30 IST) on the same day.

Circuit Information and Tyre choice

FP1 has had to be stopped due to a drain cover being loose and getting "sucked" into George Russel's Williams. The car seems to have taken a big beating on the underside.

All the drain covers on the track have been asked to be checked for being welded down. FP1 may not re-start given the time needed.

It is also not known if Williams would get any concession of sorts for the damage caused by the issue with the track.

Ferrari has brought its first significant update to Baku - there is a lot of change literally under the car - vanes, barge boards, floor, diffuser etc. And the team was fastest in FP2 after FP1 was wasted due to a silly manhole cover blowing up the underbelly of the poor Williams. Bad showing by FIA there!

Eclair has won at Baku - in GP2. So, it is a track he knows unlike China for instance. And I really hope Ferrari lets the boy race. The team screwed him twice over at China. Ferrari's best chance for the title this season is Constructors. And that won't come through if the team keeps undermining a driver. So far, Ferrari has cost Eclair championship points - points which adds to constructors as well.

Based on what I have seen, this year feels a bit different compared to the recent years when it comes to car development at Ferrari. Usually, the package is as strong as it gets in the initial phase of the season and the incremental updates are few and far in-between. Mercedes always used to win the development war during the season. The SF90 on the other hand is fast with PU and all, but a bit raw on the chassis department. So, a lot riding on this weekend and the updates!

I don't think Mercedes is that far off - they will come back strong in FP3 and/or Qualifying. Toto got a Masters degree in the sandbagging. :D

Apart from the drain cover incident during FP1, there was another avoidable incident. While hauling George Russel's car back to the pits, the crane of the truck carrying the car wasn't retracted low enough to avoid hitting a bridge. This caused oil to leak from the crane on to the Williams. I hope safety is high on the organiser's priorities.

That was a very nasty hit that Russel's car took. Listening to interviews, it looks like chassis is cracked, the floor is a write-off, and they have got some other small bits of damage around the car. Definitely they have to switch over to new chassis.

Williams should definitely get compensation from FOM & FIA. Its the duty of Race Control to make sure the track is 100 % safe before the cars head out. This incident destroyed Williams chassis have cost Williams "millions of dollars", which is unfair for a small team with limited budget for no fault of theirs.

Below video shows how drain cover got loose when Leclerc passed over and Russel was the innocent victim.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5f87xjg-m4

Front row lockout by Mercedes taking full advantage of tow effect on start-finish straight. Shame for Leclerc to crash out in Q2, otherwise he sure would have challenged for the pole position. Session was red flagged twice due to Kubica crashing by the end of Q1 and then Leclerc in Q2, both at same place.
Qualifying classifications for tomorrow's race.

Formula 1: 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix-quali.jpg

Quote:

Originally Posted by deetjohn (Post 4580831)

Toto got a Masters degree in the sandbagging. :D

rl:

MercS - Masters of Sandbagging

The kid had it in his kitty until the disaster struck or rather he has thrown it away. And Bottas getting a valuable tow finished ahead of his celebrated teammate. Impressive show by RBRs as well by both Gasly and Max, both topping the charts in Q1 and Q2 respectively. Max may finish in the podium given how he drive the nuts out of his car.

Hamilton mentioned that they have race pace so it's going to be tough for Vettel. Elsewhere, Perez seems to have picked up from where he left last year, Kvyat and Norris did good and the rookie Giovinazzi finished ahead of his experienced teammate for the first time, however will start 18th due to grid penalties. Forgettable Qualifying for Renaults, hope they can recover tomorrow.

Like Daniel won from P10 in 2017, hope Leclerc do the same tomorrow provided he doesn't drop places further due to any parts replacement and related grid penalties.

Gasly disqualified from Baku qualifying after fuel flow infringement

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...dLwGr7i74.html

Quote:

“The stewards reviewed the evidence from the Technical Delegate and heard from the team representatives”, read a report from the stewards in Baku. “The Stewards find that the fuel mass flow exceeded 100 kg/hr during the fastest lap set by car 10.”

Doesn't matter anyway since he starts from Pitlane for weigh bridge infringement earlier.

Ferrari completely threw it away again in qualifying. It is just unreal how they manage to do it every single time.

Leclerc was on for a definite pole position. He was really on it all weekend, and I don't even blame it on him, I blame it on Ferrari.

It was stupidity of Ferrari to send drivers out on yellow tyre in Q2, that too on a low grip street circuit with track temperature also dropping. Vettel was nearly in the wall but Charles got in the wall in the same corner.

Hopefully everyone gets through first corner cleanly and it should be a long enjoyable race as Baku GP throws a lot of surprises.

Qualifying Highlights

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVxuNlzhuz8

Now, Kimi is in trouble - disqualified from Qualifying in Baku due to front wing design.

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...WxKapXYCM.html

Quote:

"The Stewards find that the front wing of car 7 deflected more than 5mm under a load of 60 N," read a stewards report. "[This is] in breach of Article 3.9.8 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations."

Double blow for Alfa Romeo, who looked strong having both the cars in Q3, after Giovinazzi's grid penalties which pushed him to P18 (now P17). Kimi set to join Gasly and Kubica in pit lane.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jpcoolguy (Post 4581191)

Gasly disqualified from Baku qualifying after fuel flow infringement
Doesn't matter anyway since he starts from Pitlane for weigh bridge infringement earlier.

Now, Raikkonen too gets disqualified from qualifier and is set to start from pit lane. He will queue up at pit exit along with Gasley and Kubica. So much for the F1 rules :Frustrati
http://https://www.formula1.com/en/l...WxKapXYCM.html

Love the Baku circuit. It may not be as glamorous as Monaco, but the racing is more exciting for sure with more overtaking.

I really feel for Leclerc. The guys is giving it everything. He was restricted in a couple of races by his own team and now he crashes in qualifying after being so strong on Friday. On the other hand Mercedes and their drivers are just going about things very professionally. They just come up with a strong performance when it really matters.

I am not sure Ferrari has it in them to stop Mercedes this year. They are just handing over every advantage they get back to the German team.