The Official 2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Thread **Spoilers**

[Vaud]

2017 FORMULA 1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX

Date(s): Fri 23 Jun - Sun 25 Jun 2017

UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1 and Channel 4 with their usual build-up beforehand;:

Session	Day	Sky F1	Channel 4	Session Start	Local Time
Practice 1	Fri	0945	0955	1000	1300
Practice 2	Fri	1345	1355	1400	1700
Practice 3	Sat	1045	1055	1100	1400
Qualifying	Sat	1300	1255	1400	1700
Race	Sun	1230	1300	1400	1700

With a note that there is a Channel 4 special on Saturday at 12.25pm – F1 meets … Toto Wolff



Tyre choices are Red Supersoft, Yellow Soft and White Medium



Live Timing here:

http://www.formula1.com/content/fom-website/en/f1-...

Event timings, steward decisions, technical reports and laptimes for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/championship/races/201...

Weather forecast:

http://www.myweather2.com/City-Town/Azerbaijan/Bak...

Edited by Vaud on Tuesday 20th June 11:33

[HustleRussell]

Thanks for kicking off the thread Vaud

Let's hope we get an exciting Q3 as the race will probably be a procession.

ETA: I wonder if Mercedes' smooth / slow circuit tyre management issue will rear its ugly head again or whether (as Mercedes have suggested) the problem was permanently fixed between Monaco and Canada...

Even so, with all of the tight, short apex corners it could well turn out to be a Ferrari circuit.

Edited by HustleRussell on Monday 19th June 11:15

[Vaud]

I think the front battle is pretty straightforward between Hamilton, Vettel and Bottas (I have a sneaky feeling that it will suit Bottas)

The mid field should be very interesting.

Shame I'm missing this race as I had a VIP invite! Doh!

I quite like it as a circuit, it's a fascinating country as well.

[angrymoby]

hopefully Ferrari are a LOT closer than the 1.2s! gap last year

[Doink]

Note to Lewis - leave the steering wheel dials alone this time!

[Dr Z]

Looking forward to some epic slip streaming. Merc will probably edge it for the race win I think. Shades of Sochi.

Force India were the quickest bar Merc in S2 last year. Would be good to see them back in a podium position, but it has to be a similarly messy race as last year for them to get a sniff, I fear.

[deadslow]

Doink said:

Note to Lewis - leave the steering wheel dials alone this time!

[civicduty]

deadslow said:

Doink said:

Note to Lewis - leave the steering wheel dials alone this time!

He can fiddle with them as much as he wants now, as he can receive instruction on how to fix it this time.

[Doink]

civicduty said:

deadslow said:

Doink said:

Note to Lewis - leave the steering wheel dials alone this time!

He can fiddle with them as much as he wants now, as he can receive instruction on how to fix it this time.

True, looking forward to this one, really want to see Lewis and seb go head to head along that straight, we were robbed of a good race last season with his settings problem

[PhillipM]

Force India might be pretty quick here too.

[Hungrymc]

I cant make any predictions on this one. Combination of huge top speed and some very slow awkward corners. I don't really have a view on which car it will suit better. Looking forward to finding out though.

[Drew106]

Mistake on the Practice 3 start time. Should be 11:55 for Channel 4.

I'm sure everyone could have worked that out themselves, but thought I'd point it out anyway...

[Vaud]

Drew106 said:

Mistake on the Practice 3 start time. Should be 11:55 for Channel 4.

I'm sure everyone could have worked that out themselves, but thought I'd point it out anyway...

Actually it is 10:55

I have corrected, thank you!

[KobayashiMaru86]

Will be as dull as Monaco but without the nice location. Hope I'm wrong.

[Drew106]

Vaud said:

Actually it is 10:55

I have corrected, thank you!

Oops lol. Ya try to be clever...

[Doink]

https://www.formula1.com/en/video/2017/6/F1_Vault_...

Looking forward to seeing the straight line battle between Merc and Ferrari, keen to see Lewis have a clean race and to close the gap so seb doesn't start to run away with it, while all that's happening we'll have the McLaren reversing around the track, more displeasure over the phone from Fred

[thegreenhell]

Honda should have an interim engine upgrade here. Unfortunately, McLaren will have to take a grid penalty to use it.

[Doink]

Penalties are a cert now, if not here then the next race and the race after, will be interesting to see what the upgrade brings and how long the engine lasts

[Crafty_]

civicduty said:

deadslow said:

Doink said:

Note to Lewis - leave the steering wheel dials alone this time!

He can fiddle with them as much as he wants now, as he can receive instruction on how to fix it this time.

The whole issue was that the car had been configured incorrectly before the race, Lewis didn't press the wrong button and as mentioned, because of the radio rules they couldn't tell him what to do.

Rosberg managed to put his car in the same incorrect mode, but having done it himself he could reverse his button presses and correct the problem.

In any case, Lewis's real problem was sticking it in the wall on the Saturday.

I'm curious to see how the mid field get on, I think the Bulls may struggle again and the Force Indias will be looking to keep their points score up. I'm sure Max will be up for a scrap having had a poor run recently (not of his own doing).

[Crafty_]

It appears that Sauber have binned Kaltenborn.

If this has anything to do with her remarks that f1 is 'too technical earlier in the week or not, who knows. I wonder if Peter is busy this weekend....