F1 Madness

Tag: Baku European Grand Prix

  • 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Friday Practice Round-Up

    2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Friday Practice Round-Up

    The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has gained it’s reputation in a few short years as one of the most unpredictable Grand Prix events on the F1 calendar. This year was no exception and the unpredictability started from Free Practice 1.

    Free Practice 1

    The session ended as quickly as it began as a loose manhole cover, that was dislodged by Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari, at the exit of T3 caused substantial damage to George Russell’s Williams. There were only two times on the board before the session was halted. Both Ferrari’s managed to set times early in the session before Russell caused the red flag. The fun, however, did not stop there. While marshals were extracting the damaged Williams, the crane on the flatbed hit a low bridge and as a result the hydraulic fluid from the crane leaked onto the Williams.

    Race control then took the decision to call off the session in order to inspect all the manhole covers around the circuit.

    It was later revealed that Russell would need a new chassis and that meant that he would have to sit out Free Practice 2 which started at the scheduled time.

     

    Free Practice 2

    Kind of picking up where they left off in FP1 Ferrari were on top of the time sheets at the end of FP2.

    Teams were keen to head out in FP2 after the cancellation of the first practice session in the morning. Ferrari wasted no time in getting to the top of the time sheets with Charles Leclerc who set a session best time of 1:42.672. Team mate Sebastian Vettel was 0.324s off the pace with a session best time of 1:43.196.

    The Mercedes of Lewis Hamilton trailed a further 0.669s off Leclerc’s benchmark finishing the session 3rd fastest ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in 4th. Team mate to Hamilton, Valteri Bottas could only manage 5th fastest in the session just a touch over a second off the pace. Bottas initially struggled for grip at the beginning of the session locking up and taking to the run-off areas.

    Finishing the session 6th fastest on his 25th birthday was Daniil Kvyat in the Toro Rosso. While it would’ve been a nice birthday present for the Russian had it not been for his crash at the exit of Turn 7 in the final 20mins of the session. Putting a bitter-sweet end to his birthday no doubt.

    7th Fastest in the Renault powered Mclaren was Carlos Sainz ahead of Alexander Albon in the second Toro Rosso who was 8th fastest.

    Pierre Gasly in the second Red Bull finished 9th fastest with the second Mclaren of Lando Norris rounding out the top 10.

    The session was filled with the usual Baku Circuit follies with many drivers overshooting their braking spots or locking up and taking to the escape roads. A massive lockup in particular for Daniel Ricciardo in the Renault saw him sitting out the final 40mins of the session. The Australian had a massive lock-up into Turn 15 and the resulting flat spot put him out of the session. Not to mention his brakes catching fire as well. Ricciardo ended the session 15th fastest.

    The bad day for Renault got worse and team mate Nico Hulkenberg also complained about lock-ups on his loaded wheels. Hulkenberg ended the session down in P17.

    Kvyat was not the only driver to make contact with the barriers in the session. Racing Point’s Lance Stroll had a lock up into Turn 2 and hesitated a bit in deciding to take the corner or take the escape road. He ended up doing the latter but it was a few meters too late and made contact with the barrier breaking his front left suspension and front wing. Racing Point got the car back and repaired the car to get the Canadian back out on track for the final 5-minutes.

     

  • Azerbaijan layout for Baku street circuit revealed

    Azerbaijan layout for Baku street circuit revealed

    The layout for the Baku European Grand Prix in Azerbaijan has been unveiled by Bernie Ecclestone and Azad Rahimov, the country’s Minister of Youth and Sport.

    The Baku European Grand Prix will join the Formula One race calendar in 2016 and will see Formula One cars racing around on the streets of Azerbaijan’s capital city, Baku. The Hermann Tilke-designed anti-clockwise street circuit features sharp right-angled bends, a long high-speed section and a tight and twisty section through the town.

    baku-grand-prix

    “Azerbaijan is the latest addition to the Formula One calendar and I am pleased to see they have designed an innovative new street circuit that will definitely help to create a world class event when we race there in 2016,” said Bernie Ecclestone

    Azerbaijan’s Minister of Youth and Sport Azad Rahimov says the country is looking forward to becoming one of the most exciting venues on the Formula One Calendar. “We have been working very closely on the circuit layout with Hermann Tilke and his team since early 2013. Our brief to Tilke Engineering was simple – create a circuit that is unique, one that will help the Grand Prix in Baku quickly establish itself as one of the most exciting, thrilling venues on the F1 calendar, and one that the fans and teams alike are excited about. Most importantly, we wanted a track that would showcase the best of Baku, our capital city, and I am delighted that the circuit the F1 teams will race on in 2016 has achieved exactly that aim.”

    Hermann Tilke told the official F1 website that the design incorporates a number of unique features.

    “Obviously street circuits present a number of challenges, in terms of circuit design, but we have been able to incorporate some unique features that will provide the teams and fans with fascinating racing. For example, there will be an extremely narrow uphill section at the old town wall that will reward pinpoint accuracy and courage, and we have an acceleration section of almost 2.2 kilometres along the promenade which will see the cars running flat out at very high top speeds – something that will create an incredible spectacle for the race fans on track and the viewers at home.”

    Image Credits:

    Baku streets – Creative Commons – Public domain

    Street circuit layout – F1.com