2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview
Back on the Radar
Formula One makes its glorious return to the 2023 sports landscape this weekend in Baku, Azerbaijan. Let’s dive right into it with some information about the track and its history.
The Baku City Circuit is yet another street race, which as we have learned throughout the season means that on a non-race week goobers like you and I are seen puttering about on the same streets the F1 drivers will race on at mach speed this weekend.
The Baku City Circuit hosted its first Formula One running in 2016 under the title European Grand Prix, before settling on its current name Azerbaijan Grand Prix in 2017. The 3.7 mile (6km) track features 20 unique turns and boasts some of the narrowest racing on the F1 circuit, most especially in the section that runs straight through the historic old city in the shadow of a castle.
This track requires some serious precision and is infamously unforgiving on mistakes, as exemplified by the Charles clip below.
F1 2019 leclerc I’m stupid😂 - YouTube
Street circuits are often very technical tracks that don’t see very many fully flat-out sections, instead boasting technical and precision driving, Baku is the exception to this rule. With vast swathes of the track being “flat-out” areas, meaning drivers are on the gas fully through a whopping 1.2 miles of the track.
This of course leads to quite the spectacle and makes this 1.2-mile section of the track a hotly contested overtaking zone.
In a race like Baku the drivers need to be ready and willing to take risks, while also maintaining pinpoint precision through the narrowest sections of the course. Overtaking will be difficult as it is on all street circuits, so qualifying position will be highly important this weekend for a good race result.
Speaking of qualifying positions, we have quite a bit to discuss in the next section about how the positions will be decided this weekend.
Sprint Race Weekend Format Changes
Q: Mr. F1 Article man what is a sprint race?
A: A sprint race is a shortened race separate from the official Grand Prix that provides important points for the Formula One championship with drivers receiving a boost in points for finishing in the Top 3 of any sprint race. Previously these races held special importance as the final results were used to determine who started where during the official Grand Prix, that is changing this season.
Sprint races are a relatively newly introduced concept in Formula One that began in 2021. The weekend structure for the races in the previous two seasons has been as follows.
- Friday -Free Practice One
- Friday -Qualifying (Decides grid order for the Sprint Race)
- Saturday - Free Practice Two
- Saturday - Sprint Race (finishing order decides starting grid for GP)
- Sunday – Official GP Race
Drivers highly disliked this format and mounted major push back on the FIA near demanding adjustments to the sprint race weekend structure. As a result of the push back from the teams and drivers the FIA conveyed this week to vote on the proposed changes and voted them through in time for this weekend's race in Baku.
This weekend will show off the newly implemented rule set for a F1 sprint race weekend for the first time.
The NEW 2023 F1 Sprint Race Weekend Structure
- Friday – Free Practice 1
- Friday – Qualifying for the Grand Prix on Sunday
- Saturday – ‘The Sprint Shootout’ Qualifying for the sprint race
- Saturday – Sprint Race
- Sunday – Official GP Race
The powers that be have swiftly done away with some of the importance of the sprint race as it will no longer determine the starting grid. Points are still up for grabs during the sprint race and can certainly become pivotal points in a tight championship race. Unfortunately, for now, we do not have a tight championship race to pay attention to. But, I will give you a possible interesting scenario. If Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso came out this weekend and won the sprint race, and then went on to win the GP itself, the points pendulum shift would be massively in favor of Fernando, as Max would need to wait until the next sprint race to obtain as many points in a weekend as our fictional Fernando did.
Baku is an early one for us Americans, but for those willing to rise to the occasion it should be a very interesting race. It has been nearly a month since we last watched these drivers and cars compete.
Always remember, a lot can change in a month’s time in the chaotic world of Formula One.
The Teams
Lots to discuss here, many things have happened over the short break. I have done my best to pull some of the most pertinent information as well as a healthy dash of drama for you.
Alpine
Alpine has performed decently in the first stretch of the season, although I don’t think they would tell you that. The team has been feeling pressure for a long time now to make the jump from the midfield to the front of the pack. It would appear in the small sample size we have gotten so far this season that they have yet to make that jump.
It’s interesting, I think just three seasons ago Alpine would have been very excited to hear that they would be consistently competing in the upper echelons of the sport, yet it just isn’t enough to be decent in Formula 1, you have to win to be relevant.
Alpine is seemingly well aware of the mounting pressure to improve even more, ignited even faster this season because of the incredible and rather sudden success Aston Martin has found.
In response to this mounting pressure, Alpine has announced consistent upgrades throughout the season. The first of which will arrive in Baku for this weekend's race.
Alpine’s Technical Director, Matt Harman, outlined the team's upcoming upgrade packages in an article on formu1a.uno. Saying that an upgrade package that includes a new floor design and small tweaks to aerodynamic elements of the A523 will be used in Baku this weekend.
Following Baku, Harman highlighted the team's intentions to bring upgrade packages to the next two races on the schedule as well, Miami and Imola and even continuing to bring more upgrade packages to future races later on in the season.
It looks like Alpine is serious about its intentions to be a front-runner more than ever and is showing a willingness to throw the necessary funding behind the projects that can help them achieve it.
Although I don’t think Alpine has any shot of competing against the likes of Red Bull at this time, I do believe this season is a pivotal one in their development. A consistent trend line up is what Alpine needs more than anything this season. A good finish in the constructor’s championship would go far in assisting the team with the small push it needs to break into the top.
The French team is flushed with driver talent in their French duo of Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, if they can provide the proper tools for battle both drivers have the potential for a major step up.
Ferrari
With brushes with glory coming left and right during the early 2022 season, it’s hard to quantify what has happened to the Scuderia in the rather short time since.
In the 2022 offseason Ferrari replaced its team principal with the highly successful Frederic Vasseur, who was coming off some stellar seasons with the middling Alfa Romeo team. The switch, as of yet, has not bore any fruit. The team seems to have taken a step back in nearly every facet imaginable. The race pace is less than last year, the qualifying pace is far worse compared to last year, and the technical errors and mistakes still peek their ugly heads through the cracks on race weekends.
Vasseur has highlighted upcoming upgrade packages that the team hopes will assist in closing the gap with the Red Bulls.
In honesty, the halfhearted statements about upgrades coming to the Ferrari doesn’t move the needle for me. I think Ferrari has much deeper problems than its engineering issues. They seem “lost in the sauce” and unable to right the ship right now.
I know my reviews of Ferrari’s situation have sounded quite similar over articles, but in truth, there really hasn’t been much else to speak of with the red team, they just seem miserable and defeated right now.
Who knows, maybe they can surprise us all this weekend with a good showing.
McLaren
McLaren like many teams on the grid has been tactfully pointing towards serious upgrades on their car in the coming weeks. They appear to be taking a similar approach to Alpine, choosing to roll out a steady stream of upgrades over the next couple of races with hopes of serious improvements.
Again, unlike Alpine, this maneuver doesn’t move the needle for me on McLaren. Their car has at times looked abysmal and at other times has looked like the quintessential midfield car. Sure, they can jostle for position against cars in the 6-10 range but anything beyond that is unlikely.
McLaren has been scrambling this season with huge changes going on behind the scenes. McLaren realizes that it has an absolute gem of a driver in Lando Noris and is desperate to keep him, but if the performance trend line continues in the direction it has been, they can kiss him goodbye.
McLaren is certainly one of the most frustrating teams on the grid this year. I do hope that their upgrades can bring them back up to speed with what they have shown in recent seasons. Otherwise, their pink and blue rivals in Alpine will easily take the crown as kings of the midfield this season.
One quick note on Oscar Piastri as well. Meh.
Haas
Haas has been a wonderful surprise during the young part of the season with point finishes in two of the three races, one being a 7th place finish for Hulkenburg in the chaotic Australian GP.
This success is fantastic to see from a team who has spent an incredible amount of time in P19 and P20 over the last few seasons.
Hulkenburg stepped in and immediately silenced all doubters, including me. His qualifying pace in the Haas 2023 car has been nothing short of astounding, and his ability to outperform Kevin Magnussen, a very seasoned veteran with multiple stints on the Haas F1 team, has been very impressive.
So impressive in fact that Guenter Steiner, Haas Team Principal, has gone on record saying that KMag is being challenged and will need to improve.
Hulkenburg has been the one setting the standard for the Haas team so far this season and has shown what the car is capable of in the right hands. A bar set by Hulkenburg that Magnussen has been unable to match thus far.
It is unfortunate as I am a huge KMag fan, but it is the way of the sport. Memory is short and results are everything in F1. If KMag wants to keep his seat he will need to have a more tightly contested battle with his new teammate for the rest of the season.
You may feel I am letting KMag off here a little too easily, but after watching the first three races of the season I can honestly say that KMag has had some of the worst luck of any driver so far this season, so I feel it is right to give him a couple of more races before we start to question him. Only fair considering all he did for Haas on short notice last year after Russian driver Nikita Mazepin was ousted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mercedes
Mercedes had a very interesting break.
First news broke that James Allison would be switching to Technical Director and Mike Elliot moving to Chief Technical Officer. What does this mean? It means that Mercedes is looking to shuffle things up within the team, granting Allison more influence over the choices Mercedes makes during its development decisions over the year.
This is a move that seems to have excited Lewis Hamilton and George Russel with both of them commenting on the move with raving support.
This is one of those behind-closed-doors deals that we won’t really see the benefits of, more of an inner workings change that I think Mercedes is hoping will spark a fire under the team.
Second and more recently rumors began flying that Charles Leclerc, who currently drives for Ferrari, had met with Mercedes over the break. Rumors that Charles himself has brushed off.
In my limited experience following F1, I would have to say that this is more than likely true. The paddock is small in F1 and they talk a lot amongst each other and on occasion (often) things leak.
This seems like a realistic leak to me. Ferrari has been failing Charles since he arrived, so it does not surprise me at all that he is toying with the idea of jumping ship.
Despite all this, Mercedes remains in the precarious position we left them. Can they get it together in time to challenge Red Bull and vanquish Aston Martin back down the order?
A Quick Wrap-up of the Rest
Alfa Romeo
I mean honestly the only interesting thing coming out of the Alfa Romeo camp over the break has been the fact that their driver Valtteri Bottas has been in talks to purchase a rather large racetrack in his home country of Sweden. Good luck with that Valteri!
Williams
Williams was very quiet over the break as well. The team has shown that it can surprise the grid when the conditions are right. It will be their goal to push that ability as much as possible this season as they look for continued improvement.
Aston Martin
Aston Martin over the break has shared videos of the new facilities it is building as it attempts to break away from its reliance on Mercedes. They even took it to a new level by starting talks with Honda over the break to become their new engine manufacturer for the future.
Aston Martin is serious about becoming one of the top dogs in Formula One and they are showing some series urgency with the moves they are making. This is going to be a fascinating team to follow throughout the season and into the next few years.
On a side note, rumors are abuzz that Fernando Alonso is dating Taylor Swift now, so that’s been fun too.
Red Bull
Pure dominance so far. No mistakes is the name of Red Bull’s game, and they practice what they preach. If they can continue at this pace, it will be a historic (and boring) season for the Redding Bulls.
What to Expect this Weekend
The Azerbaijan GP is unforgiving on us Americans, it will be an incredibly early start this weekend with the race on Sunday starting at five a.m. for me (MST). That being said if you catch a wild hair and want to start watching the races, Baku is a good one to start with. It’s a great street circuit that encapsulates all the required skills drivers need. It’s truly amazing to watch the rocket ship F1 cars fly about a gosh darn castle.
In terms of results, I think it is quite safe to say that Red Bull sits atop the power charts by a wide margin still. So, expect to see Max and Checo up front again.
Interestingly there have been no two-time winners at Baku so far during its short existence. Both Max and Checo have already won here and if the curse is to be believed I would bet heavily against both finishing first here.
For the sake of my predictions this week I will follow the rules of the curse.
1st Place – Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
2nd Place – Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3rd Place – Sergio Perez (Red Bull)
Boom.