Race day is here for the FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX 2023, the seventh Formula 1 race held in Baku. Lights out for the 51-lap race on the Baku City Circuit is at 3pm local time, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc on pole after Friday’s qualifying.
Pérez takes the first Sprint Saturday
Baku hosted F1’s first ever ‘Sprint Saturday’. Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez won the 17-lap Sprint, the first of 2023, and collected eight championship points. Leclerc led from the start, but Pérez used DRS to pass the Ferrari into Turn 1 at the beginning of lap eight and held the lead to the flag. Leclerc finished second.
Max Verstappen took third in a damaged car. On the opening lap, George Russell went down the inside of the Red Bull at Turn 2; the cars touched, leaving a large hole in Verstappen’s sidepod, and Russell completed the move at Turn 3. Verstappen was unhappy on team radio and confronted Russell after the race.
“I don’t know how he can damage my car and keep his position?”
Max Verstappen, on team radio
The Safety Car came out on lap two after Yuki Tsunoda understeered into the wall at Turn 13 and damaged his AlphaTauri’s right-rear suspension; he pitted for a new tyre but had to retire. Racing resumed at the start of lap six, and Verstappen passed Russell into Turn 1 to retake third. Lewis Hamilton lost fifth to Carlos Sainz and sixth to Fernando Alonso but stayed ahead of Alex Albon, who took the final point for Williams in eighth.
First Sprint Shootout
Saturday also saw the first Sprint Shootout, a shorter qualifying session that sets the Sprint grid. Logan Sargeant lost control of his Williams at Turn 15, causing a red flag, and the damage ruled him out for the rest of the day. With 14 cars in the ten-minute SQ2, both Haas cars and Esteban Ocon were knocked out, while a tow from Alonso lifted Lance Stroll into the top ten.
Leclerc led Pérez and Verstappen after the first runs, then lost the rear of his Ferrari at Turn 5 and hit the wall head-on. He was able to carry on despite a broken front wing, and took his fourth consecutive pole position in Baku.
Bearman wins F2 Sprint in the pitlane
The Formula 2 Sprint ended with Ollie Bearman taking his first win from ninth on the grid. The Safety Car was deployed on lap 14 of 21 after Roy Nissany hit the wall at Turn 15. At the lap 19 restart, leader Dennis Hauger and second-placed Victor Martins both ran wide at Turn 1 and hit the barrier, and Jehan Daruvala hit the back of Martins, launching the Alpine Academy driver into the air. Bearman had passed Prema team-mate Frederik Vesti just before the Safety Car returned, which then led the field through the pitlane and past the chequered flag on the final lap.
Sunday’s programme includes the 29-lap FIA Formula 2 Feature Race before the Grand Prix.