Azerbaijan GP Qualifying Report

Firstly, Qualifying was delayed.  Then, nothing much happened for ten minutes or so.  Our predictions were LeClerc for pole (me), Verstappen for pole (him) and Schumacher (me) and Latifi (him) to bring out a Red Flag during Qualifying.  It was Stroll.  Leaving lots of drivers in a precarious position of trying to qualify with two and half minutes left.  Still, it's a street circuit, and one should know to get a banker lap in.

With seconds to go, thirteen cars were out on track and hoping to pass the chequered flag in time.  The Haas made a last-minute overtake to be ahead of the McLarens on track.  The back of the train were further hindered by a Yellow Flag in the second sector of the track.  Albon was calling for Alonso (the bringer of the Yellow Flag), to be penalised for holding everyone up.  There were no surprises with the two Williams drivers and the two Haas out with Stroll.

Qualifying 2 was then held up by Stroll's team mate Vettel, hitting the wall (who still made it into the final session???).  Luckily, for the drivers, not for Aston Martin, he was able to reverse and get back to the grid.  The session continued with no great drama.  Both McLarens out and most of the usuals through.

The final Qualifying session was, once again, down to the Red Bulls and Ferraris.  Perez, having looked very strong so far,  conveniently wasn't fueled in time and let Verstappen out cleanly.  Not to worry, he still popped his car ahead of this team mate to take second.  With his recent record, Verstappen may fall out of love with this team quickly.  Sainz didn't have the pace to match his team mate, who pulled his trade mark single spectacular lap out of the bag to take pole.  There was no way the Mercerdes were in the mix as the bouncing looks unbearable, I don't know how they're going to keep it up for 2 hours.

Johnny Herbert has been let loose in the paddock again, not really asking questions and bewildering the drivers.

Monaco GP Race Report

The grey clouds were looming over the moneyed cliffs of Monte Carlo and a wet race seemed our only chance of an enjoyable race.  Be careful what you wish for.  Before the race, Sainz commented that he wouldn't be racing LeClerc as this isn't a track you can actually race at.  It's a race where the tires and the pit stop strategy and teamwork therein is going to make or break it as entertainment.

Just as the race was due to start the heavens opened and the race start was a little delayed.  The drivers tried a few formation laps behind the Safety Car then the race was red flagged and stopped.  So much for rain bringing electric racing.

Behind the Safety Car,  Latifi  drove his Williams straight into the wall at the hairpin, then Stroll hit the barriers side on.  Next the Canadians nearly collided in the pit lane.  Gasly was also in on the first racing lap for the Intermediate tire.  I know wet conditions, living in Glasgow, and I wouldn't have said it was Inters o'clock.  But as the laps went by it was Gasly on those tires that brought the racing to Monaco.  It looked like the other drivers would go straight from Wet tires to Slick, dry weather, tires.  Hamilton pitted, would it be him to lead the way?  No, Intermediate tires.  Perez playing the same strategy as the Red Bull guinea pig after him.   Hamilton and Ocon started battling.

LeClerc and his rival Verstappen pitted at the same time for a cautious Wets to Intermediate tire change, which allowed Perez to take overtake them.  Albon took slick tires alongside Schumacher, rolling the dice as they pass the casino.

Sainz came in for dry tires too and Ferrari double-stacked him with LeClerc behind.  The team had radioed him to come in, then to stay out but it was too late.  Once again Ferrari Ferraried their race up.  Red Bull then also double-stacked.  Perez overtook Sainz in the pits; with Verstappen overtaking LeClerc too.

A third of the way in to the race, Mick Schumacher managed a typical Monaco, dramatic spin and crash which led to the Safety Car being deployed.  A few laps later the Red Flag was flown to stop the race and there was so much car to sweep up, both the nose and the back end came off.  A key safety point though: no tires ran free.

After another rolling start, the laps ticked by in a processional format.  The lap counter switched to a clock.  With 10 minutes to go the top 4 (2 Red Bulls and 2 Ferraris) were nose to tail.  It did all come down to tires and pit stop strategy and Red Bull won it with Perez with an old skool over cut.   After all that effort Gasly didn't even get points.  LeClerc commented that this was "abysmal".

Monaco GP Qualifying Report

Not much to say about the first Qualifying session.  Firstly because I didn't see it through an administrative recording error and secondly because it appeared only usual suspects went out: the Williams, Zhou, Gasly (maybe a surprise here) and Stroll.

Again, no huge surprises in Q2.  Ricciardo continues to have abysmal form and was 14th.  Vettel was delighted to be through and Bottas was astonished to be out.  Russell and Alonso just edged it through.

Also there didn't seem to have been any accidents so far (although did something happen with Gasly and a marshall with an errant red flag?).  Then Q3 happened.  All 10 cars were out for a final push, it didn't look like there would be any major changes from the earlier fast laps.  Then Perez slid into the barrier, Sainz didn't see the Yellow Flag and crashed into him.  The drivers came up along the pair and couldn't get past.  Would Sainz get a penalty for going through these flags?  It gave LeClerc the pole, Sainz second and Perez third, costing his team mate any chance of starting the race ahead of him.  Will Perez have to change some car part to move Verstappen up the grid?  It seems team orders are on now for the second driver at Red Bull.  Further back around the grid, Alonso also put his car nose-first in to the wall.  The pressure at Monaco to qualify well showed.  Shall we just award the points now?

Rain was predicted for race day.  A little bit of spice added to the bouillabaisse.  

Spain GP Race Report

Another week, another scorching hot race.  I remember when Spain wasn't at all interested in F1 but now it's a huge event.  They have two drivers participating with massive support, with that in mind, Alonso took a new engine and had to start at the back of the grid.  Most teams turn up the wick at their home track.

It was predicted as a two or three stop race with tire degradation being a major issue and the drivers who can best manage their tires being in the best situation.

An exciting start off the grid; Perez got an excellent take-off and was briefly third before being overtaken by Russell.  Behind them, Hamilton also made a good start but was then tagged by Magnussen, who went off into the gravel.  Magnussen made it back to the pits and eventually came back out.  Hamilton had a puncture and pitted to get new tires.  Just when a red flag or safety car would have helped them out immensely, none was forthcoming.  I believe it's a different rotation of race director this weekend...

Alonso was being heartily cheered on as he progressed up the grid.  By the time he reached 14th, Sainz was caught by a gust of wind at turn 4 and spun off, luckily he was able to get back on the track.  A couple of laps later, Verstappen was caught out by the same (???) gust of wind at turn 4, spinning off the track and coming back on.  During this incident though, Russell and Perez went passed him.  Red Bull had to solve the headache of whether to leave Perez ahead or ask him to move over.  It didn't take long before the latter was acted out.

Hamilton was on the radio asking to retire the car and save the engine.  He was told to keep going as he might get 8th place.  How the mighty have fallen.  Still he rises.  Talking of ignominy, Ricciardo was overtaken by Norris.

Red Bull faced their own mechanical problems, with the DRS flap not always opening.  A long and angry team radio conversation ensued, with Verstappen being told he had closed the DRS flap at one point and the reply being that he has to press it 50 times to get it to work.  During this Verstappen is in a long and intense battle with Russell for second place.  Verstappen briefly took the lead but Russell regained his position immediately.  Perez arrived at the back of this tussle and got on his radio demanding to be let past Verstappen as he had fresher tires.  Meanwhile, LeClerc is miles out ahead and enjoying a calm race before we see him going slowly and hear a noise akin to a Dyson switching off and a space being cleared in the garage for his car.  The first retirement.  Heartbreaking.

Stroll helped Hamilton gain a place closer to his race-leading team mate by spinning off.  It felt like he might just trundle about at the back to prove his point to his team.  Then he shook off his fug and made his way up to 4th position.

Red Bull pitted Verstappen, solving the dilemma of which of their drivers should be in front of the other.  This also put Bottas in a podium position.  Half way through the race, Perez sailed passed Russell to take the lead.  Verstappen was able to overtake Bottas for third place easily.  Another Ferrari powered engine, that of Zho, then failed.  The reliability gremlins have left the sinking ship of Red Bull for the sweeter pastures at Ferrari.

Red Bull positions were again changed two thirds through the race when Verstappen took a third pitstop.  He later thanked Perez on the radio for being a "good team mate".  Read "biddable".  The Mexican did take the point for fastest lap though and commented on the radio that: "We need to speak later."

With one lap to go both Mercedes were told to "lift and coast" as much as possible and this was a DNF risk.  Sainz was straight passed.  Bizarrely it was water leak on the power unit.  Unusual and even more unusual that it occurred on both cars.

The Spanish GP was notable in that there were no red flags and no safety cars.  Lots of overtaking, DRS and otherwise.  Lots of action albeit with stretches of order maintained.  Russell was overjoyed to be on the podium.  Verstappen looked happy  but used to these circumstances.  Perez looked fed up  but pulled out a smile for the Spanish crowd and diplomatic comments.  It didn't help that De La Rosa also called his a "great team player."

Spain GP Qualifying Report

Back to racing in Europe and major upgrades were expected.  Aston Martin reworking themselves as the Green Bull did no good as both drivers were out in Q1.  Along with Alonso, massively disappointing the record Spanish crowd.  Upon being told he was out, Vettel said: "You must be kidding".  So it must have all looked very promising on paper.

Greater drama came in Q2 at the end.  Norris had his time eliminated just as the session was ending, which meant that both Haas were through to Q3.  Alpha Tauri felt that they could not give Gasly the car he deserved, he did manage to get this horrific vehicle to 14th though.

At a circuit where overtaking is difficult, it would be a test for the new aerodynamic regulations to see if they could spice up the race but, just in case, the drivers needed to qualify well.  LeClerc hadn't had a brilliant session so far, spinning the car.  When it looked like Verstappen might get the pole, he radioed that he was losing power, was told to go to the pits by his team and didn't.  Luckily for him, his first run lap was good enough for second; with home hero Sainz only managing third and his team mate LeClerc getting the pole.  The commentators were looking to see if Russell could get in the mix with this potential change of order, not Hamilton though...  Russell managed fourth.  LeClerc didn't seem to believe it in the interviews.