F1 braced for ‘mayhem’ as sprint season starts in Baku
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Red Bull's Max Verstappen and manager Raymond Vermeulen at the Baku City Circuit.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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BAKU – Formula One is braced for chaos on the streets of Baku this weekend as Azerbaijan hosts the first sprint race
After a long April break due to the cancellation of the Chinese Grand Prix, racing resumes with the sprint recast as a stand-alone event and a “shoot-out” qualifying session for the sprint replacing final practice.
The change should allow drivers to race for points on Saturday, knowing the outcome will not affect where they line up on Sunday, as the qualifying session for the main race will take place on Friday.
Despite teams voting unanimously in favour, the new format
The Baku city track has seen plenty of crashes since its debut on the calendar in 2016.
“It’s absolutely ludicrous to be doing the first sprint race of the year in a street race like Azerbaijan,” Red Bull boss Christian Horner said.
“From a spectacle point of view, from a fan point of view, it’s probably going to be one of the most exciting sprint races of the year.
“But from a cost-cap perspective, all you can do is trash your car and it costs a lot of money around there.”
Haas boss Guenther Steiner, whose team operate on a tight budget and count the cost of every crash, agreed there could be “carnage”.
“The chances are high. We all know that,” he said.
“Hopefully we are not the unlucky ones... because now with the budget cap, if you have damage, that will have an influence on your season because you have got less to spend on developments on the car.”
Williams boss James Vowles said the tight and twisty castle section in the old town will cause “a little bit of mayhem”.
Champions Red Bull have won all three races so far this season, twice one-two, and start as favourites while Fernando Alonso chases his fourth podium in a row with Aston Martin.
Baku has yet to witness a repeat winner, but that looks likely to end with Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez both past winners of the race and their Red Bull cars in a league of their own.
Perez has the best record with victory in 2021, second in 2022 and third in 2016 and 2018. Verstappen won in 2022.
Mercedes’ drivers, with seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton still chasing his first win since 2021, are the only others to have won in Baku. The former champions are ramping up their car development, as chief technical officer James Allison returned to his role of technical director in a swop with Mike Elliott.
Several other teams will also bring upgrades, and plenty of spares.
“We are bringing a new floor to Baku among some other aerodynamic and mechanical items,” said Alpine technical director Matt Harman.
“We then have a further development at the following race in Miami and something further for Imola after that.” REUTERS
