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Verstappen wins Azerbaijan GP and takes huge points swing with Ferrari DNFs

12 June 2022 at 13:35
Last update 12 June 2022 at 14:00
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  • Matt Gretton
  • Editor-in-Chief

Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing have picked up a huge swing in both World Championships by winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku whilst both Ferrari drivers had retired before the halfway point. Sergio Perez took the lead at the first corner, but couldn't match his teammate's speed and got asked not to fight Verstappen later in the race. The Mexican finished second, with George Russell rounding out the podium. 

The race in Baku provided a huge swing in the Constructors Championship. Both Ferrari drivers recorded DNF. First Sainz had a hydraulic issue and then on lap 21, Leclerc's engine blew knocking both Ferrari cars out before the race reached the halfway stage. The number of engines left in their pool is also at an alarming number suggesting penalties could be on the way later in the season. 

This retirement took the pressure off Red Bull, who were working on a different strategy to Ferrari before the retirements. The Austrian team were sublime in the streets of Baku as they gain a strong grip on the title race. Mercedes had yet another miserable weekend with porpoising but took considerably more points than Ferarri. George Russell managed to round out the podium to keep his 100% record of finishing inside the top five. Lewis Hamilton managed to get P4 despite complaining of a bad back from the high vertical G-force. 

Yuki Tsunoda picked up the black and orange flag after only half of his DRS was working. The AlphaTauri pit crew quickly put some Gaffa tape around the rear wing and sent the Japanese driver back out in what was a strange move. His teammate Pierre Gasly had a brilliant race and engaged in an interesting duel with Hamilton towards the end of the race. The Frenchman lost out but still took home a decent amount of points. 

Crucial start

Perez managed to out-qualify Verstappen for the second week running, but he couldn't beat Leclerc. The Dutchman started from third. In the baking hot Azerbaijan heat, drivers looked after their tyres as much as possible on the formation lap as tyre degradation became key. Sergio Perez got his elbows out on the first corner to take the lead from pole-sitter Charles Leclerc. The Mexican opened up a 1.3-second gap on the opening lap. Nicholas Latifi got a 10-second stop-go penalty for a starting grid infringement. 

For a handful of laps, Leclerc was able to prevent Verstappen from pulling the overtake with the help of a strong Ferrari middle sector and a slipstream from leader Perez. Further aid was thrown towards Leclerc when his teammate had a hydraulic failure and retired from the race. Leclerc pitted under the virtual safety car but it took 5.4 seconds to make the stop. Most of the field opted for this pitstop, but Red Bull didn't pit Perez or Verstappen. 

On lap 15, Verstappen used DRS and slipstream to make the overtake down the home straight and into the first corner. The message "no fighting" came on Perez's team radio. His Dutch teammate opened up a three-second gap within a couple of laps. Perez then pitted on lap 17 for a set of hard tyres. He also took more than five seconds. On lap 19, Verstappen pitted and was unleashed with a 13-second gap to Leclerc with tyres nine laps younger. 

Ferrari disaster

On lap 21, Leclerc's engine blew which forced his retirement. It's the man from Monaco's second retirement in three races and two weeks on from Ferrari's strategic blunder in his home race. A second Ferrari engine blew as Kevin Magnussen's Haas stopped. This created the second virtual safety car of the race and Red Bull took advantage by double staking. The two Red Bull drivers controlled the race until the end.