Sergio Perez won the Red Bull teammate battle at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with Max Verstappen coming second and Charles Leclerc third. Perez benefited from a timely Safety Car but had to work hard to hold off Verstappen until the end. The top ten all pitted under the Safety Car, except for Nyck de Vries, who crashed, and Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Ocon, who started from the pit lane. Perez's victory makes him the first repeat winner in Baku and closes the gap to Verstappen in the Drivers' Championship to single digits.
Click here to read the full article by Michelle Foster (planetf1.com).
Mercedes driver George Russell has criticized the lack of driver involvement in decision-making by the FIA, particularly regarding changes made to the Drag Reduction System (DRS) zone at the 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Russell believes that overtaking has become more difficult and expressed disappointment at not being consulted regarding the decision to shorten the DRS zone by 100m. He believes that drivers should be included in the decision-making process and wants to be kept in the loop to contribute towards decisions. Russell feels that common sense should prevail in these discussions.
Click here to read the full article by Jay Winter (gpfans.com).
Alex Albon and Williams expressed frustration over the Sprint format "rewarding the top four teams" after narrowly missing out on points in the Azerbaijan event. Albon finished ninth in the 17-lap race, which only awards points to the top eight finishers, leaving him and the team disappointed. Both Albon and Dave Robson, Head of Vehicle Performance at Williams, expressed disappointment at not scoring any points but also highlighted the team's pace and looked forward to the Grand Prix for another chance to score points. Logan Sargeant was unable to compete in the Sprint after a crash in the Sprint Shootout.
Click here to read the full article by Anna Francis (racingnews365.com).
Lewis Hamilton received a motivational message from Angela Cullen, his former personal assistant and physiotherapist, ahead of the F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Cullen left her role earlier this year after working with Hamilton for seven years. Despite her departure, Hamilton and Cullen maintain a close friendship, which is evidenced by the motivational message she sent him. Hamilton and Cullen had matching tattoos that read "loyalty."
Click here to read the full article by James Dielhenn (crash.net).
A furious Max Verstappen confronted George Russell in parc fermé after the sprint. George had collided with Max in an opening lap incident that left a large hole in Max’s sidepod.
