F1 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Race Weekend Thread

[Sixpence]

The McLaren is clearly the fastest car on the grid at the moment. That can no longer be disputed.

I still think Norris (and Piastri) are coming from too far back, but it's not as clear cut as I thought it was a few weeks ago. Norris needs to string some podiums together while Max keeps finishing P5 or so.

Norris, Leclerc and Piastri are all in with a shot still. Max still has a good lead, but with McLaren, Ferrari and maybe Mercedes looking stronger than Red Bull, that lead can be eaten up pretty quick in 7 races.

Max does have the benefit that the above will be taking points off each other.

Not over just yet. Has definitely been one of the most interesting seasons for a long while. Just a shame McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes didn't get their shit together earlier in the season.

 

[Forward Press]

Singapore will make or break Lando. That Red Bull is awful around there, if he can't make a decent dent in that lead, he won't get there.

The only one that Red Bull did not win last year, yeah?

Hopefully it gets to squeaky bum time when Abu Dhabi rolls around, but I'm doubtful. As a couple have pointed out, it's quite likely the rivals will take points off each other and that helps Max to win another WDC.

 

[greatgatsby]

Singapore will make or break Lando. That Red Bull is awful around there, if he can't make a decent dent in that lead, he won't get there.

Ferrari might have both of them covered around there though, especially now that Leclerc has his mojo back.

 

[drd23]

View attachment 2112252

Nice to see m539 restorations singing the national anthem

Sreten doesn't sing - he just makes weird noises (and is hilarious when he does it)

 

[imadodgyumpire]

Not sure how the our media will cope with Oscar. Not exactly a fun guy to be around but hey, get the W's and most of us wont care.

Mick Doohan had no presence in Australian media when he was the motorbike king.

The media here will just crap on about that he barracks for Richmond.

 

[Not Important]

just loved oscar’s self-effacing response to the win. so different from the usual hooping and hollering me, me, me stuff you usually get from drivers after a big win.

 

[Not Important]

i thought sainz veered into perez.

 

[largebus]

i thought sainz veered into perez.

The report also notes Perez was behind and had a better view to avoid the collision. 50/50, play on.

Both of them have a history of causing incidents. If anything it shows how much better Piastri is wheel to wheel than either of them.

 

[Jatz]

Racing incident is the right call.

 

[Cromulant]

Bit OT but I reckon the F2 debutants, including Mansell, did pretty well on the weekend.

 

[Black_White]

Are we sure he is Aussie and not Finnish?
He is as stoic as Hakkinen and Raikkonen

Well, he is Finnishing ahead of the pack.


I’ll see myself out.

 

[Bradesmaen]

The only one that Red Bull did not win last year, yeah?

Hopefully it gets to squeaky bum time when Abu Dhabi rolls around, but I'm doubtful. As a couple have pointed out, it's quite likely the rivals will take points off each other and that helps Max to win another WDC.

RBR apparently have a large upgrade coming for Austin.

 

[Vader]

RBR apparently have a large upgrade coming for Austin.

Wonder if it will be as much of a downgrade as their last package...

 

[DamoESP]

Was watching the race live but had to take the misso to the ED (she is all good now) just after the first round of pitstops, so did my best to try and not spoil the result (Unfortunately I caught a glimpse of who won) but managed to sit down and finish watching it last night.

Wow, what a ****ing great race and an amazing drive from PIA. Really has given McLaren something to think about as he has now shown on multiple occasions that he has the temperament to be a future WDC. Cool, calm and collected.
An amazing drive by LEC to really pressure PIA for all of those laps until his rears finally gave up the ghost. PER drove a pretty decent race as well until the incident with SAI. Thought it was rather telling that HAM (whose car had a bunch of new PU parts) spent what felt like half the race stuck behind BEA. Also a great drive from COL as well I thought.

All in all, a great race.

 

[dazbroncos]

OP has balls of steel.

That was some drive.

 

[Cromulant]

OP has balls of steel.

That was some drive.

I did like how he mentioned he thought it was a 50-50 move on Charles.... and he still made it.

 

[Not Important]

 

[Barrybran]

They've come so far since the start of the season

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Apologies to the Richmond supporters in here but watching all the interviews and whatnot in the washup, every one of them talked about Norris at length and repeatedly, it reminds me of a lot of footy threads on here when Richmond supporters participate and try to make the thread about the Tigers rather than the victors, did give me a chuckle.

The only one who gave him his full due I think was Karun. Maybe he has seen the light, we'll see.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Question.

All things being equal, who else on the grid do people in here think could have dealt with that sustained attack for 25+ laps and held their nerve and their position?

I can think of 2 and another 3 maybes.

I think Hamilton and Alonso definitely and then Max, Leclerc and Daniel likely, I'm thinking no-one else.

We see each race mid-pack, slower cars holding up the faster cars lap after lap but I just think that attack by Le Clerc on Piastri was next level. I've been watching F1 for 40 odd years and I can't remember another battle in a race that was that close and lasted that long. I was almost sweating watching it. I found it more gripping than either of the AFL semi-finals.

 

[Vader]

Question.

All things being equal, who else on the grid do people in here think could have dealt with that sustained attack for 25+ laps and held their nerve and their position?

I can think of 2 and another 3 maybes.

I think Hamilton and Alonso definitely and then Max, Le Cler and Daniel likely, I'm thinking no-one else.

We see each race mid-pack, slower cars holding up the faster cars lap after lap but I just think that attack by Le Clerc on Piastri was next level. I've been watching F1 for 40 odd years and I can't remember another battle in a race that was that close and lasted that long. I was almost sweating watching it. I found it more gripping than either of the AFL semi-finals.

I think it's a credit to the F1 engineers, who specified the current regulations, that LeClerc was able to sustain that level of attack for so long. It just wouldn't have been possible with previous generations of technical regulations.

 

[happy_eagle]

Question.

All things being equal, who else on the grid do people in here think could have dealt with that sustained attack for 25+ laps and held their nerve and their position?

I can think of 2 and another 3 maybes.

I think Hamilton and Alonso definitely and then Max, Leclerc and Daniel likely, I'm thinking no-one else.

We see each race mid-pack, slower cars holding up the faster cars lap after lap but I just think that attack by Le Clerc on Piastri was next level. I've been watching F1 for 40 odd years and I can't remember another battle in a race that was that close and lasted that long. I was almost sweating watching it. I found it more gripping than either of the AFL semi-finals.

Red Bull/Renault era Daniel could, and in fact did in Monaco (I know its impossible to overtake there anyway, but he had a significant engine issue from memory).

 

[ibd77]

Question.

All things being equal, who else on the grid do people in here think could have dealt with that sustained attack for 25+ laps and held their nerve and their position?

I can think of 2 and another 3 maybes.

I think Hamilton and Alonso definitely and then Max, Leclerc and Daniel likely, I'm thinking no-one else.

We see each race mid-pack, slower cars holding up the faster cars lap after lap but I just think that attack by Le Clerc on Piastri was next level. I've been watching F1 for 40 odd years and I can't remember another battle in a race that was that close and lasted that long. I was almost sweating watching it. I found it more gripping than either of the AFL semi-finals.

TBH he was sort of lucky not to get a warning for weaving after the pass but glad he found his groove and managed that tiny gap. The kid has ice in his veins.

How good was the Ferrari to hang on for so long in the dirty air?

 

[gaskin]

TBH he was sort of lucky not to get a warning for weaving after the pass but glad he found his groove and managed that tiny gap. The kid has ice in his veins.

How good was the Ferrari to hang on for so long in the dirty air?

It wasn't weaving. He moves left to cut off the inside and then moved right as all drivers have to do to make that corner. There is a reason why nobody (even the massive LeClerc homers) have said anything about it being weaving.

 

[Eaglemaniac]

It wasn't weaving. He moves left to cut off the inside and then moved right as all drivers have to do to make that corner. There is a reason why nobody (even the massive LeClerc homers) have said anything about it being weaving.

Exactly. If you watch Jolyon Palmers analysis of Oscar’s pass & subsequent defending, he shows how Oscar moved early so there was a clear gap between them which shut down Leclercs chance to go down the inside in the next corner.