2023-04-29 17:41:08
By pure statistics, it was known what was going to happen: Charles Leclerc had taken pole position in the morning’s sprint classification (wrongly called ‘shootout’, a term that means a single lap in classic motorsport slang) so it was reasonably easy to venture that he was not going to win. Especially when behind came the driver who, by far, has produced the best performance on the Baku circuit in any of its formats.
Sergio Pérez took the victory in the short race in Azerbaijan, confirming himself as the great dominator here. He is the driver who has been on the podium the most times (three, to which we must add this sprint) and he did it after a great performance and a brilliant start in which he showed that his Red Bull is a car on another step . The way in which he surpassed Leclerc was of a simplicity that scares those who fear that not only in relatively bland races like this, but in others where boredom is more predictable (such as the Monaco or Spanish GP) it will live such a domain.
In fact, if Max Verstappen didn’t get higher, it was because he had a contact with George Russell that made him lose a piece of the side. The two-time world champion then blamed the action on Mercedes, who could do little or nothing more than flee before the volcano caught him next door. Verstappen, however, does not like this weekend format at all (“it’s a real piece of shit”, he said clearly), so it is not surprising that he twisted his nose to the minimum.
The 17 laps that this sprint lasted began with a scare. Yuki Tsunoda lost one of his tires, which was left in the middle of the track and, after many doubts that again leave the FIA portrayed, they brought out the safety car. In the restart, in addition to Pérez eating Leclerc’s toast, Alonso, who started eighth, did the same with Lewis Hamilton, who went from more to less. The Asturian then tried to pass Carlos Sainz, who defended himself tooth and nail, which may have meant a new episode of what seems to be a rivalry that sooner or later was going to take place between good friends.
The scuffles ended there, since at that moment all the drivers realized that the real race is on Sunday and it was not worth risking. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t a race that’s going to bring a tail.
Sainz’s “surprising” lock
Fernando Alonso finished off the podium for the first time this year, even if it was in a sprint race, and it has been the most difficult weekend for him. The problems with the intermittent DRS, which works at times, in the new rear wing that was fitted for this Grand Prix have been partly resolved, although it is not clear what will happen in the race.
Perhaps because he is more irascible, Alonso complained bitterly about an action by Sainz, whom he directly accused of leaving him without space and almost causing an accident. It was just after the Spanish double overtake of Hamilton, when the Ferrari man leaned slightly to the left to protect his position. Nothing too aggressive, nothing punishable or even studyable, but enough to make Alonso raise his foot, who already looked ahead. The Asturian half bit his tongue and even hinted at a claim about the man from Madrid, with whom he shares a good friendship. At least so far.
«I hope that we can even gain a place and be fifth, because Carlos took me against the wall in turn 2, it was a bit… surprising. Let’s see if they can do something and we win that position, “said the Spaniard, who already saw in Australia how Sainz blocked his path without regard. This one, however, defends himself. “It has been a good battle, it is what it is, I was defending myself from Hamilton, I was a bit surprised that Fernando arrived and I have done what I could,” he settled on the matter.
Whether Sainz defends the position more when Alonso arrives or not is something that cannot be established objectively, although there is a certain buzz in the paddock gossip that the relationship between the two is no longer so good. It was a matter of time: now the two are fighting for podiums, at least, which makes this type of action more prominent. It will be necessary to see if he does not climb more.
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