Baku Grand Prix 2022 appeared unpredictable. Too many key factors collided in Azerbaijan. Thus, we have reasons to celebrate F1 racing weekend as many as to forget the defeats, surely. One of the drivers are still can’t hide the winning smile, while the others need the real spa vacation. Let’s find out what happened.
Fernando Alonso holds the title of the driver with the longest F1 career.
Alpine driver has almost two reasons to celebrate the weekend. Despite finishing Baku Grand Prix 2022 seventh with six points, Alonso set the fastest pit stop time. His 2.74 seconds is the record in Azerbaijan. Remarkably, Max Verstappen is the second fastest pit stopper. Red Bull driver managed on 2,77 seconds.
Besides, the most interesting fact is that Fernando Alonso holds the title as the driver with the longest F1 career ever. Imagine, 21 years, 3 months and 1 day. Impressive!
Unstoppable Red Bull.
Max Verstappen was the first among those who opened the winning bottle of champagne. Certainly, we predicted that both Red Bull drivers would be fast, but who knew that Scuderia Ferrari would again struggle? Charles Leclerc took the pole for the Baku Grand Prix 2022. Despite Perez taking the lead at the start, putting a Ferrari between Red Bull, Verstappen showed a superior race pace. The Dutch driver overtook the Mexican for the lead.
Although, after the Monaco Grand Prix in 2022, there were some hopes that Sergio Perez might overshadow the team’s biggest star, the race in Azerbaijan put everything into perspective. Max Verstappen won the race. Sergio Perez is second. While some questions remain about the team orders and instructions on “no fight mode”, as always, the case is being handled behind closed doors.
On the other hand, it spares Red Bull of the additional headache. Early in the season we cannot call Red Bull the most reliable team, as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez got three retirements in the first three races. But they have made significant improvements.
Lewis Hamilton, bouncing, neck.
Lewis Hamilton finished fourth at the Baku Grand Prix 2022. Not quite what we expected, but still a positive result. Besides, attention was caught to the sounds from Hamilton’s Mercedes. It was pretty clear to hear on team radio how hard it must have been for Lewis to drive the car’s bouncing. Seven-time Formula 1 world champion also got backaches after the race in Azerbaijan, making it hard for him to step outside the car.
Considering this, the FIA Formula 1 will investigate the impact of Mercedes cars’ bouncing. It may be dangerous for both drivers and could cause health damage. Almost all the F1 teams have overcome the unbalanced chassis problem for Baku Grand Prix 2022, except for Mercedes.
As someone says, the team could cope with the problems easily just by increasing the ground clearance of their W13. But in this case, it is impossible to predict how the car will race. This means all the work on Mercedes F1 car 2022 was for nothing.
George Russell, the other Mercedes driver, is also driving the car. According to Lewis Hamilton, he looks even better. In addition, George Russell is the most reliable driver on the grid. Since the F1 season 2022 started, Russell has finished in the top 5. He scores points in eight races in a row.
Charles Leclerc hurt again.
Scuderia Ferrari had to fix the maximum points from Baku Grand Prix 2022 by all the predictions, but in vain. Charles Leclerc made his 15th career pole and fourth in a row. Even though he lost the lead at the start, the early pit stop during a Virtual Safety Car brought him back into contention. But a power unit issue forced him to retire from the lead for the second time in three races!
Carlos Sainz pulled out of the race for the same reason. There are 34 points between Leclerc and championship leader Verstappen after the race in Azerbaijan. Just a few weeks ago, Scuderia Ferrari seated the top of the constructors’ championship, now, 80 points adrift of rivals Red Bull.
Although it is to early to be discouraged, as the Canadian Grand Prix 2022 already took the place to host the Formula 1 racing battle. Be sure both Scuderia Ferrari drivers are preparing the response to uncatchable Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Leave a Comment