Poll: Official 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Race Thread - Baku City Circuit, Baku- Race 4/23

[cuke2u]

Not a lot going on there other than confirming Red Bull are just ridiculously fast compared to everyone else. No team is even close. I noted a couple of off the cuff comments recently that are reminiscent of Ferrari’s performance a few years back that may or may not have been related to naughty engine shenanigans!! Not always what is said, but the way it is said.

Really happy for Perez but Horner’s soothing of Max where he basically said Perez only won because he got lucky with the SC was totally cringeworthy. I just hope Perez is allowed to continue racing and challenging for the WDC and isn’t gimped by “performance issues” with his car or stupid stuff like that.

What Horner actually stated: "He’s had a sensational weekend. He’s always been outstanding at this track; I don’t know what it is about Azerbaijan but he absolutely excels here. He got a little lucky with the Safety Car today but then he converted that and he pulled a gap and he had the pace and he really controlled the race. So phenomenal drive by him all weekend.”

 

[Scam]

You’re basically summarising every world champion. They’re all like that at some point in their career.

I don’t disagree but something definitely seems off with Max. Even Hill said so.

LOL we all really doing the Perez can win the championship arc already..

He isn't a championship winning driver, Dude gets caught napping by mid season.

I think we’re all just being a bit optimistic/hopeful..

So phenomenal drive by him all weekend.”

(Snip) When was the last time Horner said Max got lucky through a race when he won? It’s a weird thing to say about your team’s race winner.

 

[Armageus]

Random thoughts for the Sprint Race -
Why don't they mandate that teams run on the non-preferred tyre for that race weekend (e.g. normally "hard") - would make use of the tyres that have been manufactured but otherwise are "wasted" as don't get used, as well as providing an element of less data that may influence things. Either that or mandate that the softest compound is used for the Sprint, with only the other 2 compounds being available for the main race.

Why don't they use a sprint weekend to do a sprint race with DRS, and the the GP without (or the other way around) - would allow a back to back comparison as to what effect it would have on the racing.

 

[Thomas. PLease.]

You’re basically summarising every world champion. They’re all like that at some point in their career.

I agree, but most of them seem to mature to the point they realise they need to play the long game, Lewis as an example, Alonso as another. With their joke of a top speed the thinking driver would have just yielded and DRS past the next lap.

 

[BuffetSlayer]

What Horner actually stated: "He’s had a sensational weekend. He’s always been outstanding at this track; I don’t know what it is about Azerbaijan but he absolutely excels here. He got a little lucky with the Safety Car today but then he converted that and he pulled a gap and he had the pace and he really controlled the race. So phenomenal drive by him all weekend.”

Yep, during post race interviews and not at the chequered flag. His excuse of (I’m paraphrasing) “I didn’t congratulate him at the time because he was shouting and celebrating for ages and taking up the radio traffic so I congratulated Max instead”.

Lol really?

Horner did indeed have plenty of nice stuff to say once he had time to formulate something to say for the cameras (perhaps because he was called out on his weird behaviour in the media pretty quickly).

 

[Mesai]

I agree, but most of them seem to mature to the point they realise they need to play the long game, Lewis as an example, Alonso as another. With their joke of a top speed the thinking driver would have just yielded and DRS past the next lap.

Lewis is probably the most recent and probably largely due to being humbled by not having a top car. Dude was always super sulky and avoided a lot of the publicity.

For me, Vettel was the biggest change. Total douche when he was champion, but the complete opposite now.

 

[Hodders]

Just thinking aloud - it might be a terrible idea! If the aim is a closer championship could you not handicap the faster teams with more weight or less fuel?

Plus points - closer racing, championships going to the wire

Bad points - less incentive to suceed, punishes a stunning individual drive

One thing is for certain, the current situation is pants!

 

[Goksly]

Terrible idea... Thats Touring cars.

I like the current penalty (less resources) but it will take longer to converge. Especially when the 2nd biggest hitter has obviously made serious mistakes with the car design.

 

[cuke2u]

Yep, during post race interviews and not at the chequered flag. His excuse of (I’m paraphrasing) “I didn’t congratulate him at the time because he was shouting and celebrating for ages and taking up the radio traffic so I congratulated Max instead”.

Lol really?

Horner did indeed have plenty of nice stuff to say once he had time to formulate something to say for the cameras (perhaps because he was called out on his weird behaviour in the media pretty quickly).

ROFL, really?