Martin Brundle's Azerbaijan Absence: Where Was He?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is a Formula One motor race held in Baku, the capital city of Azerbaijan. The race takes place on the Baku City Circuit, a street circuit that runs along the Caspian Sea. The Grand Prix was first held in 2017 and has since become a popular event on the F1 calendar. In 2024, the race took place on the 15th of September and saw Charles Leclerc start from pole position, with Sergio Perez and Lewis Hamilton close behind. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix has also been a platform for discussing penalty systems and their inconsistencies, as well as providing exciting opportunities for overtaking and unpredictable safety car interruptions.

Kevin Magnussen's ban from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kevin Magnussen has been banned from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after receiving a penalty for a collision with Alpine rival Pierre Gasly during the Italian Grand Prix. The penalty points received tipped him over the 12-point limit for the season, resulting in a one-race ban. This is the first time a driver has fallen foul of this ruling since it was introduced in 2014.

During the race, Magnussen tried to overtake Gasly down the inside of Turn 4 but locked up and made contact. The stewards deemed Magnussen "wholly to blame" for the incident and that he did not drive in a "safe and controlled manner". Magnussen was handed a 10-second time penalty and two penalty points on his licence, causing him to exceed the permitted number of penalty points in a year.

Speaking after the race, Magnussen expressed his confusion about the penalty, stating that there was only slight contact between him and Gasly, with no damage to either car or consequence in the race. He also questioned the inconsistency of the stewards' decisions, highlighting a separate incident where his teammate Nico Hulkenberg was almost thrown into the wall by another driver who received a less severe penalty.

Magnussen's ban has sparked a debate among F1 drivers and commentators about the fairness and effectiveness of the penalty point system. Some argue that the system needs to be reviewed, as it does not adequately distinguish between truly dangerous incidents and those that are simply part of racing. Others defend the system as a necessary mechanism to rein in drivers who pose a danger to themselves and others.

In the end, Magnussen served his ban and returned for the Singapore Grand Prix, ready to put the incident behind him and focus on the remaining races of the season.

David Croft's absence from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

David Croft, the 'Voice of Formula 1' and lead commentator for Sky Sports, was notably absent from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in September 2024. This was the third and final planned absence of the 2024 season, with Croft also sitting out the Emilia Romagna and Austrian Grands Prix.

In February 2024, Croft announced that he would be taking a step back from three Grand Prix weekends to manage his workload and to spend time with his family. He told *The Independent*:

> "It's more about keeping fresh for the whole season. I'm not getting any younger. I've given up and sacrificed a lot for my career. I want to give a bit of time back to my family and not be on the other side of the world. I'm getting married this year as well, so I've got a wedding to organise!"

Croft, who got married in September 2024, had not missed a Grand Prix since the 2007 European Grand Prix, which he skipped to attend the birth of his son.

Harry Benjamin, lead commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live, filled in for Croft during his absence. Benjamin has previously commentated on Formula 2, Formula 3, and the all-women's F1 Academy series.

Lewis Hamilton's penalty at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton received a penalty at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, forcing him to start the race from the pit lane. The penalty was imposed due to Hamilton exceeding his power unit allowance for the season, with Mercedes opting to install a fifth power unit after he qualified in seventh place. This decision was likely influenced by the previous engine failure Hamilton experienced at the Australian Grand Prix.

Hamilton's W15 F1 car was fitted with a fifth internal combustion engine, along with a fifth turbocharger, MGU-H, and MGU-K. This update breached the regulations outlined in Article 28.2 and Article 40.3 of the FIA Formula One Sporting Regulations, resulting in the penalty. The FIA's decision document emphasized that the power unit elements used were in excess of the permitted number for the 2024 Championship season.

The penalty had a significant impact on the grid positions of other drivers. Lando Norris, who initially qualified in 17th place, moved up to 15th due to Hamilton's penalty and the disqualification of Pierre Gasly for a fuel flow infringement. The extended DRS zone and the unpredictable nature of the Baku City Circuit offered overtaking opportunities for drivers starting further back, including Hamilton and Norris.

Hamilton expressed disappointment with his car's performance during qualifying, stating that the tyres failed to provide sufficient grip. He noted that the car felt amazing during practice sessions on Friday, but the tyres didn't work as expected on Saturday. Despite the setback, Hamilton remained positive and determined to work hard to improve his performance.

Martin Brundle's co-commentator at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Former racing driver and broadcaster Martin Brundle has been a commentator for ITV, the BBC, and Sky Sports. He joined Sky Sports F1 in 2012, and his commentary is broadcast to tens of millions of English speakers around the world.

Brundle's co-commentator for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was Harry Benjamin, who filled in for Sky's lead commentator, David Croft, also known as 'Crofty'. Benjamin is a 5 Live commentator who has also commentated on Formula 2, Formula 3, and Porsche Supercup.

Brundle and Croft have worked together since 2012, when Sky obtained the UK television rights to F1 from the BBC. Brundle's other co-commentators have included Murray Walker, James Allen, and David Coulthard.

Charles Leclerc's crash during practice for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix saw Ferrari's Charles Leclerc set the pace during Friday’s second practice session, despite a crash during the first practice and car troubles in the second session.

Leclerc, who had qualified at the front three years in a row in Baku, experienced a crash halfway through the first session. His car was repaired in time for the second session, but he reported issues with the car's handling, stating that it felt "not straight". Ferrari found no issues with their telemetry data, but Leclerc insisted on returning to the pits. This put him out of sync with the other drivers, giving him an advantage with his tyre choice.

Leclerc described the crash: "I braked a little bit too much on the right, the track was still dirty, I locked up and it was too late to go to the right [run-off] – so I went into the wall."

Despite the challenges, Leclerc finished the day with the fastest time, 0.006 seconds ahead of Red Bull's Sergio Perez.

Martin Brundle, a former driver and commentator for Sky Sports F1, was not present at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. This was one of three planned absences for Brundle during the 2024 season, with Harry Benjamin filling in for him in the commentary box.

Frequently asked questions