F1 News
Windsor sees important role for Leclerc: 'Verstappen wants to control the race'
- GPblog.com
Qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was filled with red flags and ended with a surprising driver on pole, namely Charles Leclerc. The Monegasque of Ferrari was the fastest, also because nobody could finish his fastest lap in Q3. Behind the Ferrari driver are the two title rivals, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen. According to Peter Windsor, it's a good thing that Leclerc is on pole in Baku.
"What you can say about Charles is that he doesn't take himself too seriously. That allows him to put Friday's performance behind him and that was good to see. It's really good to see Charles riding so well. He did make some small mistakes, but he really deserved pole," explained Windsor in his own analysis.
Verstappen wants to go to the front
In Monaco Ferrari was also one of the fastest teams, but according to Windsor it will be important to know that the Italian team is also fast on the straights."To be fast in Baku, with the long straight, will feel very good for Ferrari." For Verstappen, the grapes are sour, as a crash by Yuki Tsunoda and Carlos Sainz prevented him from completing his fastest lap."I think that's what irritated Verstappen so much too. AlphaTauri is of course Red Bull's B-team and you don't expect to be held up. Both AlphaTauri drivers had already set a fast lap and the best was gone from the tyres."
Windsor also expresses his expectation for the start of the race. "He (Leclerc, ed.) will probably not give Lewis any space at all in the first corner. He has nothing to lose. Lewis knows that too, so he will hope for a clean opening lap. Max will want to get to the front to control the race, knowing he has the car to win. If he gets stuck, he might overuse his tyres. It's a good DRS circuit though, so Max will be watching that," said Windsor.