Azerbaijan Grand Prix Qualifying: When To Watch

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a Formula 1 race held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Qualifying for the 2024 race took place on September 14, with Charles Leclerc of Ferrari taking pole position. Oscar Piastri of McLaren qualified second, with Leclerc's teammate Carlos Sainz Jr. in third. The race is known for its unpredictable outcomes, with one-third of podium finishers coming from outside the top five of the grid.

Charles Leclerc takes pole position

Charles Leclerc took pole position for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, his fourth consecutive year doing so at the track. He beat McLaren's Oscar Piastri by 0.3 seconds, with Piastri spoiling a potential Ferrari front-row lockout with his final flying lap, edging out Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc's qualifying performance was described as "beautiful" by his race engineer, Bryan Bozzi, and as a "mighty, mighty performance" by the NY Times. It was also a record-equalling achievement, as Leclerc became just the second Ferrari driver to take four consecutive poles at one venue, matching Michael Schumacher's feat.

Leclerc's pole position was a dramatic turnaround from his crash in the first practice session on Friday. Speaking after qualifying, Leclerc acknowledged the crash but said he hadn't lost confidence: "I knew that the pace was there. But obviously, you've got to build back up to speed."

The Baku City Circuit is one of the longest laps of the year, and all 20 drivers were looking to make use of the track's tow, which was crucial to a good lap, especially in the final sector. Leclerc mastered the final qualifying push lap, and his Ferrari's straight-line speed and prowess in slow-speed corners made Baku a good track for the car. However, it was Leclerc's skill as a driver that made the difference, as he produced a special lap, even by his own high standards.

Leclerc's pole position put him in a strong position for the race, which he will start on the front row, alongside Piastri.

Oscar Piastri in second place

Oscar Piastri secured second place in qualifying for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, lining up on the front row alongside Ferrari's Charles Leclerc, who took pole position for the fourth consecutive year.

Piastri's performance in qualifying continued his strong form in the 2024 Formula 1 season. The McLaren driver had outclassed his teammate, Lando Norris, in the previous race in Monza and started the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session as one of the favourites for pole position.

During qualifying, Piastri demonstrated his skill and composure on the Baku City Circuit, which features one of the longest laps of the year. He posted a time of 1:42.042 in Q2, finishing just 0.014 seconds behind Leclerc and 0.221 seconds ahead of Sergio Perez in third. This performance ensured that Piastri would start the race in a strong position and set the stage for a thrilling battle with Leclerc.

Starting on medium tyres, Piastri knew he had to make a move before switching to the hard compound tyres, which would give him an advantage. On lap 20, he made a bold lunge into the first corner, surprising Leclerc and taking the lead. This decisive move showcased Piastri's racing instincts and his ability to capitalise on strategic opportunities.

Despite Leclerc's attempts to reclaim the lead, Piastri's cool-headedness and consistent driving allowed him to maintain his position. He successfully fended off Leclerc's challenges for the remainder of the race, demonstrating his resilience and ability to perform under pressure.

As the race progressed, the battle for the top spots intensified. Leclerc's tyres began to degrade in the final laps, providing Piastri with an opportunity to pull away and secure his position. The race concluded with Piastri in first place, claiming his second race win of the season and solidifying his reputation as a rising star in Formula One.

Alex Albon incident

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying took place on 14 September 2024.

The Alex Albon Incident

Alex Albon, the Williams driver, was forced to stop at the pit exit during the final stage of qualifying for the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. A large, bright-yellow Komatsu cooling fan, normally placed around the rear of the cockpit, had been left attached to the airbox inlet above his head. Albon, strapped tightly into his cockpit, managed to remove the fan and threw it to the side of the circuit. However, the delay meant he missed out on his final flying lap, and he had to settle for 10th place.

Albon explained that it was a mistake made by the team in their eagerness to get him on the track to qualify in the top 10:

> There was a rush to get the slipstream in Q3 like there always is around here. We just missed out. Obviously, the fan got left in. I’m sure everyone’s going to be kicking themselves for it, but you know, it happens. And I think we’ve normally been pretty on it with these kinds of things.

The unsafe release of the car was noted by the stewards and was under investigation following the session, with potential consequences for Albon's starting position.

Albon's teammate, Franco Colapinto, finished in 9th place, with both Williams drivers making it into Q3.

Lando Norris qualifies 17th

Norris finished 17th overall after he boxed on his final lap instead of finishing, leaving the F1 world baffled. On Sky Sports, footage appeared to show a panel flashing, with the commentators unsure whether it was flashing yellow or white. At the same corner, Norris ran wide, which also cost him time.

A replay showed there was a white flag in the sector as Esteban Ocon had suffered a puncture early in the lap. The white flag tells a driver that there's a much slower driver ahead of them. A yellow flag is similar, but drivers have to slow and avoid overtaking.

Norris said he believed the lap he was on was good enough for second fastest. He's also not confident of moving too far forward in the race. "Following is pretty much impossible around here and overtaking is a lot worse than everyone thinks," Norris said. "I am not expecting much from 17th, but we will put in a good plan tonight and do our best of course. I have been wrong, and I hope there are plenty of chances, but I'm not expecting so."

Norris' engineer, Will Joseph, also came over the team radio, saying, "Man I'm sorry". Sky F1's Karun Chandhok said Norris was "in the wrong place at the wrong time".

Norris took his maiden career win at the Miami Grand Prix, repeating this feat in the Netherlands and Singapore. As of the 2024 Mexico City Grand Prix, Norris has achieved three race wins, seven pole positions, 10 fastest laps, and 24 podiums in Formula One.

Sergio Perez beats Verstappen

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku saw Sergio Perez beat Max Verstappen to victory in an intense Red Bull contest. Perez closed the gap on world championship leader Verstappen to six points with a superb drive.

Perez produced a flawless performance to beat his teammate, with the victory reigniting his hopes of denying Verstappen a third successive driver's title. The Mexican's street-circuit pedigree was on full display as he immediately closed in on Verstappen, and he was able to take advantage of an early safety car to leapfrog his teammate in the pits.

Verstappen, who started the race under heavy pressure from Perez, pitted first. However, the deployment of the safety car moments later meant that Perez gained time when he stopped a lap later, allowing him to take the lead. Despite hitting the wall at Turn 15 on the 34th lap, Perez managed to escape without damage and comfortably brought the RB19 home with a two-second lead.

Perez's victory makes him the first driver to win twice at the Baku City Circuit in F1, and it also adds to his reputation for strong performances on street tracks, where five of his six wins in the sport have come. The result also meant that Perez outqualified Verstappen for the first time this season.

The race saw Charles Leclerc take third place for Ferrari, followed by Fernando Alonso in fourth, and Carlos Sainz in fifth. Lewis Hamilton recovered from losing several places early on to finish in sixth place.

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