Azerbaijan Grand Prix – The prospects for the race
After eventful qualifications, Charles Leclerc managed to secure a significant advantage for the race. However, just like in Monaco, this street race is long and full of numerous traps. Furthermore, the Red Bull drivers remain close, lying in wait and promising to liven up the Grand Prix.
This year, Charles Leclerc is extremely fast on a single lap. He proves it once again with a masterful final lap in Q3. On one hand, the Monegasque driver managed to secure a sixth pole position for 2022, but on the other hand, he was only able to convert two of them into victories. One in Bahrain for the season opener and the other in Australia.
A new victory would allow him to regain confidence for the rest of the championship, and depending on the placement of his rivals, it would catapult him back in first place for the race for the world title.
So it’s a first decisive battle that the Monegasque driver is about to lead. On a fast track, but also very demanding, the red flag is often out.
We all have in mind the thrilling finale of the 2021 edition, as in Monaco, nothing is won in advance and this time the Ferrari team will not have the right to make mistakes.
Is there trouble in the Red Bull clan?
The current world champion is currently leading the world championship. But despite the number 1 displayed on the nose of his car, his status as a leader is not automatically attributed to him.
His teammate, is having a solid start to the season. Consistent in the first few Grand Prix, Sergio Perez managed to accumulate maximum points while Max Verstappen suffered from some reliability issues. But in recent races, the situation has changed. The Mexican gains confidence and occasionally manages to outpace the resilient Dutchman in terms of pure speed. His brilliant victory in Monaco, along with the extension of his contract for two more years, has motivated him even more.
Today, Sergio Perez qualifies on the front row, ahead of Max Verstappen. He is not intimidated in any way by his world champion teammate and has a mastery of how his RB18 works. He could well create a surprise in 2022, but for that, he will have to have a perfect race in Azerbaijan. As the defending champion, it is possible that the Mexican could repeat this feat and thus create disruptions within a Red Bull team that has been dedicated to its young talent so far!
AlphaTauri back to the front of the midfield?
Behind the Ferraris and Red Bulls, the best ones are relegated to one second. This four-way battle is exciting and promises us some thrilling races until the end of the season.
And in the midfield, it’s the same story. While Williams, Aston Martin, and Haas seem to be falling behind, Mercedes takes the lead of a closely performing group, also consisting of AlphaTauri, Alpine, McLaren, and Alfa Romeo.
At every race, and with the improvements made here and there by each team, the hierarchy evolves slightly. In Azerbaijan, it is AlphaTauri that moves up in the rankings. This allows Pierre Gasly to secure a brilliant sixth place. It is satisfying to see that the French driver is back at the forefront. Let’s hope that it is for good and that he can finally score the numerous points he truly deserves.
