As Formula 1 gets ready for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, here are the major talking points from what is sure to be an exciting race.
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It may feel like the 2021 Formula 1 season began only last week, but amazingly we are set for the sixth race weekend of the season already. After the admittedly low-on-action Monaco GP, the sport rolls in to Azerbaijan. Both Baku and Monte Carlo boast street circuits, but that’s where the similarities end. While Monaco is known for hard overtaking, Baku has plenty of chances for cars to pass. Over the years, the race has been unpredictable: four editions of the GP have seen four winners. With the 2021 season finely poised so far, one can expect a cracker of a race come Sunday.
Let us take a look at the major talking points ahead of the Azerbaijan GP.
Max Verstappen won the Monaco GP in convincing fashion, taking advantage of a rare Mercedes off day. Yet both teams will be neck-in-neck come raceday at Baku. This circuit favours those with high-powered engines, meaning both Mercedes and Red Bull Racing will be favourites.
The battle for pole will most likely come to Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton. The seven-time world champion will be keen to put the disappointment of Monaco behind him. Bottas is an outside bet for pole but Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has struggled so far in qualifying this season.
However, predicting a winner is harder. Verstappen has never won here but he hadn’t won at Imola or Monaco either prior to this season. Bottas has won here before, as has Hamilton. Perez got two podium finishes at Baku while at Force India. Expect an intense battle at the front of the grid.
Ferrari and McLaren have been the two teams that stand out among the rest of the teams. Ferrari have consistently finished among the points, with Carlos Sainz getting a podium at Monaco. McLaren’s Lando Norris, meanwhile, has two podium finishes this season.
Charles Leclerc looked in fine form at Monaco, even though bad luck saw him retire before the race. Daniel Ricciardo, meanwhile, has been average at McLaren thus far but has won at Baku before. His car will certainly be one to watch out for.
Which of the remaining teams get among the points is yet to be seen. AlphaTauri, Alpine, Aston Martin and Alfa Romeo all have cars that can potentially finish among the points. But neither team has seen both drivers put together a consistent run of results.
Of course, Sebastian Vettel has never finished lower than fourth at Baku and Lance Stroll got his maiden podium here with Williams. The Aston Martins, therefore, are the cars to watch out for in this battle.
As mentioned before, this race has never seen a two-time winner in its history. Given that, it would be fair to expect a surprise or two from this race.
Smart money would again be on the Aston Martins but AlphaTauri have a decent car as well. Now would also be a good time for either Ricciardo or Perez to get a podium with their new team.
One thing is for sure: the race weekend at Baku will not be boring. Strap yourselves in, F1 fans.
