Azerbaijan GP: Lando Norris maintains momentum in Oscar Piastri’s shadow as Pink Bull woes persist | F1 Information

The 2024 Formulation 1 season is the reward that retains on giving.

Proper when Lando Norris’ quest to chase down Max Verstappen within the Drivers’ Championship gave the impression to be taking centre stage, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix offered a weekend of pure drama that noticed neither of the title contenders find yourself on the rostrum.

As a substitute, it was Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri who claimed the second Grand Prix victory of his profession, producing an excellent drive to take McLaren prime of the Constructors’ Championship, and dislodging Pink Bull for the primary time since Could 2022.

It has been clear for the previous few months that Pink Bull’s dominance of this period of F1 was over, but it surely has taken till now for the standings to replicate it.

The thrilling race-long battle for victory between Piastri and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc was sufficient to make this among the finest Sundays of the season, however there was a lot extra to it.

Sergio Perez lastly rediscovered his type to lurk behind their battle earlier than unluckily tangling with Carlos Sainz within the closing levels, whereas Norris produced an excellent comeback from fifteenth on the grid to complete forward of Verstappen.

Having taken within the motion from trackside in Baku, Sky Sports activities‘ Sam Johnston displays on the important thing speaking factors to emerge from an exciting occasion.

Norris fights again to maintain title hopes alive

The primary matter of debate on Thursday’s media day in Baku was undoubtedly Norris’ title bid and extra particularly, McLaren having lastly mentioned they have been keen to make use of workforce orders to prioritise the Brit over his team-mate Piastri.

The noise across the matter had reached new heights after Piastri’s aggressive transfer across the exterior of Norris on the opening lap of the Italian Grand Prix two weeks earlier finally price the Brit victory and the workforce a one-two.

McLaren workforce principal Andrea Stella principally confirmed that there could be no repeat of that incident and that “50-50 calls” would go Norris’ approach, though confusion appeared to stay – each inside and outdoors of the workforce – as to how precisely this may work out.

In the end, the problem of navigating that subject was taken away from Stella, however not in circumstances he would have hoped for.

Norris, having left himself susceptible in Q1, was extremely unlucky to come back throughout a yellow flag throughout a last flying lap that was virtually actually going to be ok to get him by way of to the subsequent stage.

It wasn’t instantly clear what had occurred, however Norris had, appropriately in accordance with the rulebook, instantly slowed down when seeing a yellow flag warning flash up on his steering wheel, triggered by the slow-moving Alpine of Esteban Ocon.

Some within the paddock felt the McLaren driver could have been to hasty in giving up his lap, and will have taken a little bit extra threat, acquired himself by way of, and handled the results later.

George Russell confronted the same – however not fairly an identical – scenario later within the session, didn’t decelerate for the yellow flags and acquired away with a reprimand. We’ll by no means know if Norris could have been capable of make the same escape.

It was a catastrophe, with Norris clearly distraught within the quick aftermath. Nevertheless, having gained a few locations on the grid resulting from penalties elsewhere, he was raring to go from fifteenth on the grid by Sunday afternoon.

From there, it was just about faultless driving as he made an ideal begin but additionally took care of his onerous tyres as he surged by way of the sector. He ended up within the excellent place to offer an important help to Piastri, holding up Perez to make sure the opposite McLaren wasn’t undercut by the Pink Bull.

There was no well timed Security Automotive to launch Norris into rivalry, however his tempo was such that he was capable of search out Verstappen, extra on him in a second, and ease previous him within the closing levels to remarkably make a acquire within the title race.

The three factors he gained on Verstappen from ending fourth and setting the quickest lap have been minimal, however ensured he’ll arrive in Singapore later this week with momentum and positivity.

Norris could find yourself wanting again on Baku qualifying as considered one of a number of moments the place the title slipped from his grasp, however he confirmed excellent psychological power and driving means to bounce again and preserve the title race very a lot alive for the neutrals.

Piastri’s killer intuition on present as soon as extra

The quiet sub-text to McLaren’s hesitance to again Norris’ bid for the drivers’ title has been that they do not wish to upset Piastri and the Australian’s camp, led by wily former racer Marc Webber.

Some have criticised them for that strategy and failing to grab the second, however Sunday’s efficiency from Piastri maybe went some method to explaining why Stella is so cautious of giving the second-year driver any cause to think about going elsewhere in future.

The 23-year-old confirmed his willingness to go for – and talent to execute – daring overtakes along with his go on Norris at Monza, however Leclerc apparently didn’t get the memo.

Piastri began second to Leclerc however after making use of some early strain, dropped greater than 5 seconds again along with his hopes of victory showing to fade.

Having acquired his onerous tyres fired up after stopping, and his observe place having been protected by Norris, Piastri sensed a short window of alternative to go Leclerc and dived up the within from approach again at Flip 1.

It was a transfer Stella admitted after the race that his “instincts” advised him would not stick, however Piastri slowed and positioned his automotive with outstanding precision to finish the transfer that might finally resolve the result.

Whereas he had gotten forward, there was nonetheless plenty of work to do with the marginally quicker Ferrari making use of intense strain for a lot of the remaining 32 laps.

It seemed on a number of events as if Leclerc was going to put on Piastri down, however the Australian defied his lack of expertise of such conditions to calmly defend till the tyres on the Ferrari ultimately gave in late on.

After all of the noise round workforce orders earlier than the race, it was a press release drive from Piastri that can have solely strengthened a rising feeling across the paddock {that a} future world champion is growing earlier than our eyes.

A bizarre weekend for Pink Bull

For thus many months, Pink Bull have been desperately ready for Perez to search out some type.

It lastly occurred at a observe the place he’s the one F1 driver to have gained twice. However would the workforce have taken it had they identified it could come on the expense of a drop-off in type from their title contender, Verstappen?

After a depressing outing in Monza, Pink Bull appeared to have discovered some type on Friday in Baku as Verstappen spoke positively following an honest apply displaying.

Nevertheless, his outstanding run of getting out-qualified Perez on 33 successive events got here to an finish after some finally poor selections on automotive setup left the Dutchman struggling.

Perez took a morale-boosting fourth with Verstappen sixth, and each would pull off spectacular passes to achieve a spot on the opening lap of the race.

However from there, their afternoons have been very completely different. Perez confirmed robust tempo to cling onto the battle on the entrance between Piastri and Leclerc, and if it hadn’t been for Norris’ teamwork, would have emerged from the pit stops second and with an honest probability of passing Leclerc for victory.

Perez patiently stalked the battle for the lead all through the second stint and eventually gave the impression to be reaping some reward late on as Leclerc’s tyres began to fall away.

Sadly for the Mexican, some mighty defence from Leclerc compelled Perez vast, permitting the opposite Ferrari of Sainz, who had closed up behind, to dive into third.

Sainz then ran vast into the subsequent nook and Perez seemed effectively positioned to recapture third, just for the pair to come back collectively at excessive velocity as they accelerated and slam into the barrier, taking them each out of the race.

The stewards determined no penalty was essential, however the consensus within the paddock was that it was Sainz, if anybody, who had drifted left and been extra chargeable for inflicting the collision.

Perez missed out on the rostrum his weekend deserved, however did a minimum of produce a drive that reveals he, and Pink Bull, have the potential to be aggressive for the rest of the season.

That was additionally about essentially the most Verstappen may take away from the weekend as he rued setup selections that left him sad along with his brakes and unable to take care of his tyres.

The Dutchman is now seven races and not using a win with no signal of that run ending, and desires pressing assist in the type of upgrades or discovering a greater stability within the RB20 if he’s to make it 4 titles in a row.

On every week the place Pink Bull’s outgoing legendary designer Adrian Newey’s determination to affix Aston Martin was confirmed, the top of empire feeling that has surrounded Pink Bull for a lot of months grows stronger than ever.

Ferrari surge as Mercedes falter, Bearman impresses

On current type, McLaren’s most probably challenger for the constructors’ title could be Ferrari reasonably than Pink Bull.

The upgrades that enabled Leclerc’s victory on the Italian Grand Prix proved to be greater than only a ‘Monza particular’, and they need to actually have had a win and two automobiles on the rostrum.

Worryingly for the remainder of the pack, it is in Singapore the place rivals expect Ferrari to be strongest, with the pink automobiles virtually sure to be within the battle for victory once more come Sunday underneath the lights.

After a summer season of discontent, Ferrari have performed effectively to get again within the combine, however the true take a look at will come on the six races that comply with Singapore, which can reveal whether or not they have a automotive that may compete for wins away from sure circuits that swimsuit it.

In distinction, Mercedes have gone backwards after producing three wins in three races earlier than the summer season break.

Lewis Hamilton was as soon as extra at a loss to clarify his qualifying woes as a promising Friday failed to hold over to Saturday, with an underwhelming seventh on the grid main him to resolve this was the proper second to take the hit of a penalty for a brand new engine, and begin the race from the pit lane.

Whereas Hamilton’s Sunday was little higher than his Saturday as he salvaged a couple of factors, George Russell was a minimum of capable of declare an unlikely podium in third after the late crash.

Russell was mystified by the swings in his automotive’s efficiency after the race, having struggled on his first stint earlier than producing extremely aggressive velocity on his second.

Mercedes have been going backwards and forwards with an unsuccessful flooring improve they dropped at Spa in July, and workforce boss Toto Wolff confirmed after the race that they count on to have a brand new model prepared for Austin subsequent month. We’d have to attend till then to see them again within the combine.

Away from the battle on the entrance, there have been extremely creditable performances from the 2 rookies in motion.

Britain’s Oliver Bearman, filling in for the banned Kevin Magnussen, outfitted himself brilliantly on his full Haas debut, out-qualifying and ending forward of extremely skilled team-mate Nico Hulkenberg regardless of crashing out of ultimate apply.

Bearman’s tenth place meant that he has scored factors in each of his F1 races after standing in for Sainz at Ferrari in Saudi Arabia earlier this season.

Bearman has been signed to drive for Haas subsequent season, however his show could have workforce principal Ayao Komatsu contemplating getting {the teenager} completely into Magnussen’s seat earlier than the 2024 marketing campaign is finished.

Franco Colapinto additionally deserves excessive reward for making the most of a quick Williams to attain his first F1 factors in simply his second race.

The Argentine bounced again impressively from crashing in first apply to supply a powerful weekend, and is doing his hopes of sealing a full-time F1 drive sooner or later completely no hurt in any respect.

Just some days till the enjoyable continues in Singapore!

Formulation 1’s thrilling 2024 season continues reside on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend with extra beautiful road circuit motion, this time underneath the lights on the Singapore Grand Prix. Stream each F1 race and extra with a NOW Sports activities Month Membership – No contract, cancel anytime