Official 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Thread ***SPOILERS***

[Piginapoke]

Round 6 and we’re in Baku for the Azerbaijan GP, another race that we missed last year. Monaco wasn’t the best but it really set the championship up nicely. Ricciardo needs to be on the pace of Norris this weekend, it will be interesting to see if Vettel can keep up the improvement.

Let’s hope it doesn’t all get legal over the flexi wings. Another Max and Red Bull win for me.

Date(s): Friday 3 June - Sunday 6 June 2021.

UK Broadcast Timings (and local time)

All sessions are live on Sky F1; Channel 4 showing highlights of Race and Qualifying:





Live timing for all sessions available here:

https://www.formula1.com/en/f1-live.html

Lap times, PU component use, technical reports and Stewards' decisions for the weekend will appear here:

https://www.fia.com/events/fia-formula-one-world-c...

Weather forecast:
https://weather.com/en-GB/weather/today/l/40.39,49...

Tyre options:

Teams have two hard, three mediums and eight soft sets available per driver for each weekend.



2020 race result:

N/A

2019 race highlights:

https://youtu.be/8eE9bofwhhs

[M5-911]

Looks like Mercedes are bracing for another difficult track.

[CoolHands]

Merc won in 18 and 19. Any reason RB are more likely to to win this time?

[Mr_Thyroid]

CoolHands said:

Merc won in 18 and 19. Any reason RB are more likely to to win this time?

Someone, in an interview, it might have been Lewis, said the asphalt is quite smooth, similar to Monaco, so they were expecting similar issues getting the tyres working.

[Pebbles167]

Thanks for the thread piginapoke.

Looking forward to this. Despite Monaco being somewhat monotonous, I enjoyed it, but it'll be nice to see a street race with some ability to pass.

[M5-911]

Mr_Thyroid said:

CoolHands said:

Merc won in 18 and 19. Any reason RB are more likely to to win this time?

Someone, in an interview, it might have been Lewis, said the asphalt is quite smooth, similar to Monaco, so they were expecting similar issues getting the tyres working.

Yes, Marko mentioned it as well. Slower corners is hurting Mercedes. Can't get the temperature to the tyres.

Edited by M5-911 on Monday 31st May 06:18

[Jasandjules]

Mr_Thyroid said:

Someone, in an interview, it might have been Lewis, said the asphalt is quite smooth, similar to Monaco, so they were expecting similar issues getting the tyres working.

Surely with the seriously long straights with heavy braking zones they will get up to temp?!?! It is not like Monaco in that respect?

[SmoothCriminal]

CoolHands said:

Merc won in 18 and 19. Any reason RB are more likely to to win this time?

Toto says the bendy wing is going to be worth 6 tenths so that's probably why

[HustleRussell]

Also the Honda is a LOT better than it was 2+ years ago

[Flooble]

Jasandjules said:

Mr_Thyroid said:

Someone, in an interview, it might have been Lewis, said the asphalt is quite smooth, similar to Monaco, so they were expecting similar issues getting the tyres working.

Surely with the seriously long straights with heavy braking zones they will get up to temp?!?! It is not like Monaco in that respect?

Don't the tyres cool off on the straight? Only braking and cornering put the energy in and the corners are all too slow to be of any use? Just braking in a straight line and then crawling around a load of tight corners won't help load the sidewalls and get the temperatures up?

[Leithen]

Drinking game for the weekend will involve the following words;

Bendy
Flexible
Illegal
Cheating

Anyone who isn't paralytic by the end of the post race interviews wins a bonus prize.

[Flooble]

Leithen said:

Drinking game for the weekend will involve the following words;

Bendy
Flexible
Illegal
Cheating

Anyone who isn't paralytic by the end of the post race interviews wins a bonus prize.

• post*? I think you'd be doing well not to pass out by the end of Thursday!

[Sandpit Steve]

SmoothCriminal said:

Toto says the bendy wing is going to be worth 6 tenths so that's probably why

If it’s genuinely worth that much, and Max puts it on pole, he’s gonna get protested by someone on the basis of the TV evidence. The stewards are going to have a big call to make, as to whether they send the championship leader to the back of the grid.

We really don’t want the race result to be decided in some committee room, three months later.

[TheDeuce]

Flooble said:

Leithen said:

Drinking game for the weekend will involve the following words;

Bendy
Flexible
Illegal
Cheating

Anyone who isn't paralytic by the end of the post race interviews wins a bonus prize.

• post*? I think you'd be doing well not to pass out by the end of Thursday!

Indeed! The pundits will zero in on the flexibull wing debate as if we're waiting on the selection of a new Pope..

Probably more on Friday than either weekend day on the basis they have to find something to chatter about during FP1

[Deesee]

Last time Red Bull finished on the Podium here so did a Williams.

Hard to see past Red Bull here, However Valtteri should manage well with the track conditions.

Ferrari could be a threat to McLaren for a podium position (Lando with 2 in 5 Races).

Very good chance for George Russell to bag a point or two, Giovinazzi is also in fine form.

In regards to Ferrari doing well and Giovinazzi, Is it Flexiwing led?

(Below from F1.com).

Red Bull, Ferrari and Alfa Romeo have all confirmed they have rear wings that flex at high speed, reducing drag on the straights and then returning to normal as the car slows for corners, providing maximum downforce. All of the cars have passed scrutineering tests using static loads in the past, but the FIA has issued a Technical Directive and made the test more tough.


The more stringent test is scheduled to be introduced in France in order to allow teams enough time to redesign or re-manufacture their rear wings in response, but Wolff and McLaren’s Andreas Seidl wanted the test implemented in Baku due to the long straights that will reward low drag, and slow speed corners that are good for high downforce. There could be protests, so watch this space.

[ralphrj]

Deesee said:

Ferrari could be a threat to McLaren for a podium position (Lando with 2 in 5 Races).

Sainz reckoned that Baku would suit the McLaren very well so I had a look at the odds - Lando was 40/1 and Riccardo was 75/1. They have now shortened to 30/1 and 40/1 respectively - still long odds but it might be McLaren's best chance to nick a first win in 9 years. I thought it was worth a pound or 2.

[thegreenhell]

Deesee said:

Very good chance for George Russell to bag a point or two

Keep saying it often enough and it might eventually come true...

[APontus]

CoolHands said:

Merc won in 18 and 19. Any reason RB are more likely to to win this time?

'18 was a fluke due to safety car at the end and Vettel in the Ferrari making a cock up of T1 after the restart. Before that he was comfortably holding off Hamilton and Mercedes were having real problems getting the medium tyres up to temp.

[wevster]

thegreenhell said:

Keep saying it often enough and it might eventually come true...

Haha, that made me laugh.

He needs to get some points, he's had the opportunities.

[wevster]

I know it goes against the form book but I quite fancy Lewis for this one, he always comes back strong after a bad weekend.