2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Race Report

 Hello again, everyone. We are together again in the aftermath of an Azerbaijan Grand Prix, through which we have been shocked & complained about the unnecessary changes to the formats and the regulations. As you already know, the FIA introduced the ''Sprint'' format in 2021 and spread it across the calendar in 2022. In addition, they made more changes to the structure for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which was to host one of the Sprint weekends of the 2023 calendar. For the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which they ran on the Baku Street Circuit, they held a regular 3-step Qualifying session on Friday, and the drivers started the race on Sunday according to the results of this session. However, on Saturday, they held another 3-step Qualifying, called the ''Sprint Shootout,'' and a 17-lap Sprint Race to which the drivers started according to the results of the ''Shootout''. The top 8 claimed championship points, but the results of the Sprint Race did not affect the main event. Anyways, let's leave this here. After all, this is not a complaint report. Now, let's look at what happened during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, which was promising for some but an absolute frustration & nightmare for others.

A Weekend From Hell For The Rookies!

Unfortunately, the weekend in Azerbaijan became an absolute nightmare for our rookies. Misfortunes did not leave the kids, not for the qualifying, the sprint shootout, the sprint, or the race. Additionally, they had recently renewed the tarmac, which meant it was extra slippery, so they gathered the young drivers from the walls of Baku all weekend long. First, Logan Sargeant, who delivered a result that we consider significant, lost his chances of reaching Q3 by just a couple of tenths of a second. Then, however, a crash saw him out of the ''Sprint Shootout''. Because he could not have a timed lap, he also had to sit the Sprint race out. Starting the primary race from 15th place, Sargeant chased Zhou Guanyu lap after lap after lap but could not get through. Finally, after having to defend his spot for a long while after Zhou's DNF due to mechanical issues, he surrendered to Pierre Gasly, who had been chasing him very closely.

On the other hand, our other rookie, Nyck De Vries, truly experienced hell on Earth. Unfortunately, we gathered the Dutch rookie, who stopped the session by causing a red flag during qualifying, from the walls all weekend round. I want to emphasize that seeing him like this is heartbreaking because I love him dearly. But of course, I will not stop supporting him because this does not represent his true potential. The only driver among our rookies who did not live an absolute nightmare in Baku was McLaren's young star, Oscar Piastri. Piastri showed himself with his qualifying and sprint performances and the primary race. But he missed out on the last point and the 10th place by just a couple of tenths of a second. Nevertheless, we still congratulate him and hope for the continuation of his success.

Perez Is Flying, Again!

Of course, when we say Perez, everyone thinks of Baku. His weekend performance was not surprising because his performances on street circuits are always impressive, and he even received the nickname ''King Of The Streets'' among the fans. No one can dare deny that he showed an outstanding and superior performance throughout every session, including free practice and qualifying sessions. With this performance, not only did he claim the race win, but also he brought his team the 4th victory in 4 races. He also took the challenge to his teammate Max Verstappen, who is equally impressive on street circuits (even though he could not win this round). I am sure you will get mad at me, maybe even attack me, for saying this. But, contrary to the ''general census'', I do not think that Perez is ''better than'' Max Verstappen on street circuits. Yes, Perez is a great driver, and I do not deny that he performs incredibly well on street circuits. I can never deny that. But I also do not deny Max's exceptional drives on street circuits, constantly pushing the limits as if he is on a standard race track. Now that I stated that, I congratulate Perez for his fantastic drive and the win. I will continue supporting him.

A Lesson On Team Work From Aston Martin!

I want to mention the Aston Martin drivers again this week, especially. This week, they did something that brought tears to my eyes. First, let’s talk about the team's youngster, Lance Stroll. He usually receives criticism from everyone, even insults (and I'm afraid that's not right). But that kid, not only did he surprise me, he almost made me cry (happy tears). It was as if he was trying to re-prove himself with his impressive and nearly flawless drive in Baku. On top of his performance, he also went on the radio to say, "Fernando, I will not attack you; we are playing the same game,” to let him know that he would play fair. I can never forget the moment I heard that. I had tears in my eyes. Of course, the veteran Spaniard did not wait long to return the favor and make the absolute “big brother” move for young Lance. Nando also went on the radio and said, “Give Lance my brake settings; it seems to work well for now.” I can never forget this one, either. Honestly, both of them made me quite emotional. Aston Martin drivers taught the entire grid how to be a team with their moves. I extend my sincere hugs to both drivers and hope that they never lose this team spirit.

Is Ferrari Charging For Real?

On the Ferrari side, both the team and the supporters have experienced frustration after frustration. But it was as if the team came alive in Baku, despite making a miserable start to the season. Charles Leclerc was flying throughout the weekend. He had the pole position in the Qualifying session, and he went up to the podium for both the Sprint and the primary race. The young Monegasque made everyone think, “Updates must have worked well for Ferrari." Still, it's better to be realistic, even though it's sad. Sure, the car was much better compared to the previous races, and it was a perfect fit for the track. But the results came from Charles' hands. It would be unfair to deny his talent & skills. It still seems like there is a glimmer of hope for Ferrari. Sainz's results were not bad at all, either. We congratulate both drivers and extend our support.

FIA's Safety Flaws Are Never Ending!

We got sick and tired of trying to explain but trust us, the FIA did not get tired of ignoring safety measures. Without further redo, let me quickly explain what happened. As you also know, according to sporting regulations, every driver MUST have at least one pit stop during a race. However, when they come in for a pit stop is entirely up to the teams and their strategy crews. Alpine, taking full advantage of this situation, kept their young star, Esteban Ocon, on the track until the very last lap of the race. And to avoid possible penalties, they called him in for his mandatory pit stop right before the final lap had started. But the young Frenchman, and also us spectators, were shocked and even dumbfounded by what we saw the moment he entered the pit lane. The scene was HORRIFYING: press personnel, journalists, and photographers running around with cameras and a car that had just entered the pit lane! Later we found out that according to the regulations, the moment the race leader starts the final lap, photographers and press personnel are allowed into the pit lane to take pictures of the finish line. Rightfully so, the French driver was shocked by what he saw and went full force on the brakes. I just told you what happened, and I leave the judgment to the CONSCIENCE of all the racing fans. Because it seems the top people of the FIA do not have even a tiny glimpse of conscience.

Now, we will discuss the results: the flying Mexican, Sergio Perez, drove to victory in Baku. His teammate, Max Verstappen, saw the chequered flag in 2nd place, right behind him. With the Dutch champion’s 2nd place, Red Bull received their 4th 1-2 finish of the 2023 season, to which they have already made an impressive start. And on the 3rd step of the podium was Ferrari’s young star, Charles Leclerc, who was outstanding all weekend round.

That’s all for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. See you in Miami, everyone. Until then, much love :)))