F1 in focus: Charles Leclerc can’t wait for Baku’s ultimate street fight
RB Spy looks forward to a ‘billion-dollar game of dodgems’ at the Azerbaijan GP
“Chaos, carnage, controversy”. Just three of the words that Sky Sports uses to describe the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix which takes place this weekend.
Held in the city of Baku the Azerbaijan GP has become an unmissable race on the calendar as the 20 drivers take on F1’s “ultimate street fight”.
Red Bull Racing’s “Spy” admits he is not a particularly big fan of street circuits but “Baku is different”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Calling the Azerbaijan GP a “multi-billion dollar game of dodgems”, the RB Spy said in his blog: “Baku has all the exciting things people like about street races: big walls, low grip, overly-enthusiastic driving.
“Plus the stuff that tends to make a proper F1 race exciting too: overtaking opportunities, strategy decisions, setup dilemmas, high-speeds etc - basically, all the stuff street races traditionally lack beneath the endless conveyor-belt of second gear, 90° corners that are a waste of a perfectly good F1 car.”
Leclerc up for the challenge
One driver who is certainly ready for the Baku test is Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The BBC reports that the 21-year-old has “thrown down the gauntlet” ahead of Sunday’s race.
Leclerc, who is currently fifth the 2019 drivers’ standings, said: “Azerbaijan is one of my favourite tracks of the season, I simply love it and I’ve always performed very well there, having won and got another podium finish in Formula 2 and also scored my first Formula 1 points last year.
“I always enjoy driving on it, especially the castle part with all those tight corners. It’s a unique track, you cannot find anything like it anywhere else in the world, so it’s pretty special.
“The rule is quite simple: never lose focus during the race otherwise at the first mistake you’re in the wall. Baku is a demanding track, but I can’t wait.”
Baku race guide
Sunday’s F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix starts at 1.10pm (UK time). See our race guide for the Baku weekend schedule and predictions.
F1 news headlines
A round up of what the media are writing about in the world of Formula 1.
- Azerbaijan GP: Can Baku deliver more surprises? (BBC Sport)
- Azerbaijan GP: The crazy street-fighting chaos of Formula 1 in Baku (Sky Sports)
- F1 gender pay gap revealed to be above UK average at all but one British team (Independent)
- Kubica: Everybody at Williams is a victim (Planet F1)
- Magnussen confident Haas will rebound (Planet F1)
- Miami GP switches focus to stadium circuit plan (Autosport)
- Azerbaijan GP an important moment for Ferrari - Mattia Binotto (Motorsport Week)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Long summer days in Iceland's highlands
The Week Recommends While many parts of this volcanic island are barren, there is a 'desolate beauty' to be found in every corner
By The Week UK Published
-
The Democrats: time for wholesale reform?
Talking Point In the 'wreckage' of the election, the party must decide how to rebuild
By The Week UK Published
-
5 deliciously funny cartoons about turkeys
Cartoons Artists take on pardons, executions, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Christian Horner and the Red Bull saga that refuses to go away
Why everyone's talking about 'Too dizzy-making' even for the 'merry-go-round world of F1'
By The Week UK Published
-
Max Verstappen: F1’s record-breaking world champion
Why Everyone’s Talking About Red Bull star has surpassed records set by Schumacher, Vettel and Hamilton
By Mike Starling Published
-
F1 ‘silly season’ hits top speed as 2023 grid takes shape
Under the Radar Twitter explodes with news of driver moves, denials and rumours
By Mike Starling Published
-
Lewis Hamilton on his F1 future: ‘I have plenty of fuel in the tank’
Under the Radar Seven-time world champion finished second on his 300th grand prix start
By Mike Starling Published
-
F1: a bumpy start to the season for Mercedes, Lewis Hamilton and George Russell
Under the Radar Only four races in and Mercedes already look off the pace
By The Week Staff Published
-
F1 Bahrain GP reactions: Ferrari ‘back with a bang’ as Leclerc ‘tames the beast’
feature The Tifosi celebrate a stunning one-two for Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz
By Mike Starling Published
-
F1 2022 season guide: race calendar, championship standings and 2023 grid
feature Max Verstappen has now won 14 of this season’s 20 grands prix
By The Week Staff Last updated
-
Lewis Hamilton’s future: could he retire from F1?
Why Everyone’s Talking About It remains ‘unclear’ if the seven-time world champion will be on the grid in 2022
By Mike Starling Published