Azerbaijan GP Classification and times
2021 World Cup Verstappen, still leader
The Red Bull party, launched for a double in Baku, turned into disaster with four laps to go, when
Max Verstappen's
left rear tire
exploded, at more than 300 km / h, on the main straight. The eerie collision with the wall and the image of
Mad Max
crestfallen into his garage were a serious setback for
Christian Horner's team
. Or so it seemed. Because everything took a turn during the epilogue devised by
Michael Masi
, race director. In the remaining lap, with a highlight from the grid,
Lewis Hamilton
lost all the loot with a resounding error, while
Fernando Alonso
climbed four positions to sixth at the finish line.
Sebastian Vettel
and
Pierre Gasly
completed the podium at an unforgettable Azerbaijan GP, where the seven-time champion was set to break a 55-race scoring streak. From Austria 2018, victim of a breakdown, to the latter position in Baku, going long into Turn 1. Great news for Red Bull, as Verstappen retains the World Championship lead and Pérez celebrates the second victory of his life, just seven months after the premiere in Sakhir.
While waiting for that first sprint race at Siverstone, the FIA and Liberty Media can now boast with what they have to offer on the avenues of Baku. After almost half an hour of break, with the cars lined up in the
pit-lane
, Masi decided that everything was going to be resolved with a conventional start. A race to a lap. An unusual event in the history of F1. Everyone had been able to ride the soft compound, although only Vettel, third, and
Daniel Ricciardo
, ninth, had a
new
pack
of tires.
The German, who was voted Sunday's driver by the fans, resisted Gasly without difficulty, who had enough to get rid of
Charles Leclerc
.
The author of the
pole
, without rhythm during the previous 50 laps, could not finally give a joy to Ferrari, while
Carlos Sainz
had to settle for eighth place.
After almost two and a half hours of action on the track, the outlook turned out to be very different for Alonso, who in his last breath managed to get
Kimi Raikkonen
,
Yuki Tsunoda
, Ricciardo and Sainz out of the way.
His firmness against the Japanese rookie, on the narrow arrival at the castle, recalled the great two-time champion, at the wheel of a car still without the promised performance.
The engine of
Esteban Ocon's A521
broke down on the fourth lap and among its smoke, Alonso's options were suspended. At that time, the Asturian was running seventh, in the wake of Sainz, with soft footwear that only lasted eight laps. The forecasts coincided in the hope with the hard tires. Stroll had started with them, while
Antonio Giovinazzi
,
George Russell
put them into action just before Fernando.
On lap 12, a strange episode completely turned the forecast, much to Hamilton's despair. In the only passage through the pits, a mishap with traffic in the
pit-lane
delayed the stop for Mercedes to 4.6 seconds. The setback immediately came to the notice of Red Bull, who on the next turn stopped Verstappen for a spectacular 1.9-second tire change. Even his lack of success with Pérez was irrelevant, since the Mexican would also come out ahead of Hamilton.
Meanwhile, due to the escape from Turn 8, Sainz's options were lost.
His miscalculation, alleviated with a blocked brake, would end in a reverse maneuver and more than 10 seconds overboard.
He was still fifth when he went through the
pits
, although he already rejoined eleventh, behind Raikkonen.
And the worst was still missing.
Suddenly, the nuisance of Giovinazzi's Alfa Romeo became very heavy.
Red Bull had warned Verstappen not to lose sight of the temperature of the right rear wheel.
With such poor grip on the asphalt, tire performance would become the deciding factor.
If someone feared a routine finish, everything suddenly broke after a puncture from Stroll, the only one who could hold with 29 laps on the tires.
The accident at about 300 km / h on the main straight and the impact against the wall was one of those that make the hair stand on end. With the appearance of the safety car and the relaunch, a new option was opened for Hamilton. To override any option, however, Red Bull was counting on Pérez. For five turns he was able to slow the Briton. Just the mission that had been entrusted to him.
In that reboot, the emerging figure was that of Vettel, who had already led the test by stretching the useful life of soft tires to the limit.
In just two curves, the four-time champion got rid of Gasly and Leclerc, who a few meters later came close to unleashing a catastrophe.
The secret was to find the temperature of the wheels quickly.
Just what Bottas couldn't achieve, mercilessly outbid by four rivals, including the two Alfa Romeos.
The Finn, twelfth in the checkered flag, also caused another historical event.
For the first time since 2014, the start date of the hybrid era, Mercedes ends a Sunday with a zero score.
According to the criteria of The Trust Project
Know more
sports
Formula 1
Lewis hamilton
Mercedes gp
Kimi raikkonen
Fernando Alonso
Red bull racing
Formula 1 Carlos Sainz: "We have rhythm and we can fight for the podium"
Formula 1 Hamilton teams up with strategy to destroy Verstappen's dream
Formula 1Ferrari prolongs the great sensations of Monaco in Baku
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