Azerbaijan GP Preview: Can Lewis Hamilton stop Max Verstappen in Baku?
Follow Us
Lewis Hamilton, Max Verstappen
Azerbaijan GP is all scheduled to be held this weekend, as it is the sixth race on the calendar. Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton will continue their rivalry in Baku, as the two championship protagonists engage in a fierce battle.
Lewis Hamilton slipped to the second spot in the championship after finishing P7 at Monaco GP a few weeks ago. On the other hand, Max Verstappen leads the championship for the first time in his career, after finishing P1 at Monte Carlo. The Dutch driver has claimed 105 points from his five races so far, whereas, Hamilton has 101 points.
The circuit in Baku hosts only it’s fourth ever race. Last year, the race could not be held due to the covid-19 pandemic. Valtteri Bottas won the race in 2019, whereas, his Mercedes teammate, Lewis Hamilton finished P2.
Can Red Bull extend their lead at the top?
Red Bull have had an amazing start to the weekend, as Max Verstappen topped the charts in FP1, whereas, Sergio Perez did the same in FP2. Verstappen finished second in FP2, and was the most impressive driver of the day. On the other hand, Lewis Hamilton finished a lowly seventh and 11th in the two qualifying sessions.
Valtteri Bottas finished 16th in FP2, to continue his poor run of for. With Mercedes’ current struggles, Red Bull have an opportunity to extend their lead in the championship standings. Red Bull lead the constructors by just one point, as both Verstappen and Perez were among the points at Monaco GP.
The two Ferrari drivers, Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc did a pretty good job on Friday, as they finished in the top 4 in both sessions. Fernando Alonso, former Ferrari driver is yet to claim any points this season, but did well in the second session on Friday. He finished sixth in FP2, and will hope to have a good weekend.
Also Read: Azerbaijan GP Protests: FIA establishes locator dots to keep Wing-Flexing in-check
Stay Updated!
Nirmit Mehta
(2425 Articles Published)