Hamilton, Leclerc: SEVEN things to look out for as F1 returns in Baku this weekend

The Formula 1 circus is back in town this weekend after a four-week absence.

Drivers, teams and fans will travel to Baku on Sunday for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

A lot has been happening in the wild and wacky world of F1 lately, with rumors of Fernando Alonso’s dating life, a startling admission from reigning world champion Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc’s comments about his future.

Supporters will be desperate to see the show back on the road in Eastern Europe, especially given the new sprint race format and dramatic crash in practice.

And under, Mail sports looks at seven things to watch out for in Baku ahead of the action.

Can Lewis finally triumph again?

It feels like a century since the drama of the Australian GP in Melbourne. In that race Lewis Hamilton, who like teammate George Russell had struggled since the start of last season in a faltering Mercedes car, came in a very creditable second place.

That result was about the best he could have hoped for given Verstappen’s much faster Red Bull.

And the 18 points he scored were enough to put him fourth in the Drivers’ Championship, behind only Verstappen, Max’s fellow Red Bull star Sergio Perez and Fernando Alonso.

Outspoken Spaniard Alonso said in an interview that Hamilton was ‘lucky’ to have a dominant car for so many of his world titles, and while he admitted the Briton is ‘one of the best in history’ it will certainly serve as motivation for Lewis . .

And the 38-year-old is looking to build on Mercedes’ surprise return to form Down Under, with a victory in Baku unlikely but not impossible. His first win in 17 months would be a big statement – but as we can see from his outfit for the race, he’s certainly not incapable of doing so…

In the long run, the major team reshuffle, which saw James Allison return as technical director, could convince him to sign a new long-term deal.

Max tries to put the frustration about his lifestyle behind him

He’s certainly not one to keep quiet when he has a complaint, is he, our Max?

Two-time world champion Verstappen raised eyebrows this week when he admitted he could leave F1 entirely in five years when his Red Bull contract expires.

The moaning Dutchman recently criticized the increased sprint races, saying: “If we just keep expanding the calendar and the whole weekend is that long, at some point you wonder ‘is it worth it?'”

“I like to race, I like to win. I know of course the salary and everything, you have a good life, but is it really a good life?’. Ralf Schumacher had a few words to say about that point of view.

Verstappen hopes to make his life a little better on Sunday with another victory in Baku, to celebrate Red Bull chief Helmut Marko’s 80th birthday.

Watching his mood in the paddock and on the team radio during the race can be very interesting.

Leclerc wants to impress among Mercedes links

With veteran Hamilton likely to reach the end of his career, although not imminent, many have speculated as to who could partner young talent George Russell at Mercedes.

McLaren’s Lando Norris? Would they make a sensational move for Alonso? Another promising youngster? Well, Ferrari star Charles Leclerc kind of gave us an answer about his future this week.

The gifted Monegasque is widely regarded as having performed above average in an ailing Scuderia team, and while he is not without faults, he has been crippled on many occasions by terrible strategic decisions and sheer bad luck, with Hamilton’s deal falling apart at the end of the season. season has to be extended and negotiations are difficult.

On Thursday, Leclerc declined to rule out a move to Mercedes, addressing reports he is in line to replace Hamilton – although he has denied speaking to Toto Wolff’s team.

He said, “No, there haven’t been any talks, not yet, not for a while. For now I am fully focused on the project I am in today and that is Ferrari.

“I am very confident, I am very confident, and for the future we will see, but I am very confident in the Ferrari project.” Not exactly very convincing.

Either way, he will want to impress on the circuit in Baku and will be well in line for a podium finish if he performs.

A new format sprint race

Despite loud criticism from Verstappen, among others, a new format for sprint races will be introduced in Baku from this weekend. It was agreed unanimously at a meeting of the F1 commission on Tuesday, before being confirmed by the FIA.

The ‘sprint’, a faster race on Saturday, is now separate from Sunday’s race, with its own qualifying session, known as a ‘sprint shootout’.

Qualifying for the GP on Sunday will be held on Friday instead.

The hope is that it will encourage drivers to take more risks, resulting in more entertainment, with drivers previously not really willing to really go for it in the sprint as the result heavily affected the starting grid for Sunday’s race.

However, the sprint point awards (eight for first to one for eighth) are much lower than for the Grand Prix proper, so that may still not be enough to encourage drivers to take more risks and put fans in more danger .

We’ll find out soon enough.

Alonso wants to continue Aston Martin’s revival

It’s been a busy week for Fernando Alonso – and not just on track!

Earlier this week, the enigmatic 41-year-old Alonso fueled rumors that he’s dating American pop superstar Taylor Swift, by posting a hilarious video featuring the recently single music icon.

But on Friday, when asked about it, he gave a sharp 16-word answer, telling Marca, “I usually keep my personal and professional life separate. I’d rather not comment on it.’ That’s what she told!

Alonso has finished third in all three races so far this season, trailing only Red Bull duo Verstappen and Perez in the standings, ahead of Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc.

His performance has far exceeded expectations in the surprisingly competitive Aston Martin car – ironically based on the struggling Mercedes car – and another podium would be a brilliant return for him.

Maybe keep an eye out for Swift in the stands or on social media showing her support…

Eyes on stewards after bizarre ending

You may have forgotten the farcical denouement in Melbourne as so much has happened in the sport since then.

But it was absurd. Verstappen eventually triumphed in a chaotic, controversial finish to the race, with Alonso finishing third despite a spin on a restart with two laps to go.

Under FIA rules, finishing positions had to be taken from the last restart, with cars not finishing the race competitively under the safety car.

Despite the spin ‘not counting’ towards the result, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was subsequently penalized for causing the collision and dropped from fourth to twelfth after receiving a five-second penalty.

Spaniard Sainz angrily called it “unacceptable” and added: “They have to wait until after the race and discuss it with me. The penalty was clearly not deserved. It’s too serious.’ Many felt sorry for him.

And Alpine duo Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, who started the penultimate restart in fifth and tenth, crashed into each other and both exited the race at the second corner.

There are now numerous allegations that the sport’s regulators are putting entertainment before fairness. That will sound familiar to Lewis Hamilton! All eyes will be on officials this weekend to see how they handle any controversy.

Alpine crash outdoor training

And speaking of Alpine, it was not an ideal practice session for the two Frenchmen Gasly and Ocon.

During the practice laps, flames and smoke began to billow from the rear of Gasly’s car and he was forced to pull over, with the red flag immediately raised to stop the session.

The incident happened about 15 minutes into practice and the response from the stewards was quick as they quickly arrived on the scene with fire extinguishers to douse the flames.

Gasly was able to get to safety but appeared frustrated when his session was abruptly cut short on a weekend of limited practice due to the new format of the sprint race.

After clearing the track and ensuring that Gasly had pulled himself to safety, the practice session was allowed to resume.

Gasly has taken four points from the first three races of the season after finishing ninth consecutively in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but has endured a nightmarish start to his weekend in Baku.

He hopes for better luck on Saturday and Sunday, and that things get sorted out after their unfortunate end in Melbourne.