The 2023 F1 Season returns after an eternity, well almost as long a delay as the last race in Melbourne for the final lap, and the world’s best drivers fight it out for glory on the glorious street circuit of Baku, and here to predict the winners and losers in advance is our 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview.
The Gurgler’s 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview brings some thoughts on the race itself, a few bold predictions here and there, a few barely interesting stats and best bets.
Essentially a quick summary of what a casual F1 fan needs in the shortest possible time.
While the circuit map itself looks like a badly drawn child drawing of a Formula One car, the Baku circuit is plenty fun.
The straight that leads into the first corner that seems to go on forever, and last year made drivers jump in the air like it just didn’t car, and it is plenty wide for racing unlike a lot of street tracks. Although DRS and a Red Bull does make overtaking a little too easy.
The early part of the lap is prime for team mates to clash or some over ambitious overtaking attempts. The 90 degree corners the right angle for action.
Then there’s the tight section around the castle which is spectacular, and in one F2 race too narrow for multiple cars.
All in all, it’s a fun race track, with the added bonus of a sprint race this season that doesn’t count towards the race. So perhaps we might see some serious action.
2023 Australian Grand Prix Preview – Race Rating
The Gurgler does like to use some obscure drivers in our Race previews and report, so who better to use than Teo Fabi to determine a race rating system.
So before each race we give a rating out of ten for four key category that are loosely based on each letter of Teo Fabi’s surname. Don’t know who Teo Fabi is, you should.
FAST? 7/10 – It’s fast enough. Like Melbourne, it is not ridiculous like the “street” circuit in Saudi Arabia, but still quick enough to challenge the drivers. And the long straight see the F1 cars max out the top speed.
ACTION? 9/10 – Yeah stuff happens in Baku, and it is a track which throws up different winners and podium finishers, which is something F1 needs right now. Walls and long straights can lead to mistakes in qualifying to shake up the grid too. A bonus sprint helps boost the action number.
BIG HISTORY? – 3/10 The Azerbaijan Grand Prix hasn’t been around for long, nor is there much motor racing heritage in the country. If you exclude oil we guess. But the short history it has is full of action. A clash between Red Bull drivers that saw Daniel Ricciardo’s career take a turn for the worse. Max Verstappen’s puncture while in the lead and the shenanigans on the restart.
INCLEMENT WEATHER? – 4/10 There’s rain and cold temperatures forecast for Monday to Wednesday in Baky, so we figures there’s an outside chance that could move forward a day.
RACE RATING 77% – A circuit made for action, where the history is short but full.
THE NEW SPRINT RACE FORMAT EXPLAINED BY SOMEONE WHO GETS PAID TO EXPLAIN
Want to know if your favourite driver for this weekend is a master of the track or the track is a master of them? Here then are some barely interesting facts and stats.
- Max Verstappen is yet to start from the front row in Baku.
- Charles Leclerc has taken the last two pole positions.
- No driver has won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix more than once
- 11 drivers have taken to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix podium. Sergio Perez leads the way with four visits.
- Between the sprint race and the real race there will be two Red Flags and four Safety Car periods.
- One of those will be caused by a jammed track at the Castle.
- The new sprint race format will see an overtake on the last lap for victory. Drivers TBA.
- The proper race will see Max Verstappen win without losing the lead.
- Kevin Magnussen will DNF in both the sprint and proper race.
- The F2 race will be even more exciting.
- Lance Stroll will clash with Esteban Ocon twice during the weekend.
- Sergio Perez will miss the podium in both races and DNF in one.
- Charles Leclerc will finish on the podium in both races.
- Carlos Sainz won’t last one lap in the proper race.
As ever we like to reminisce about Formula 1 here at The Gurgler, with the fondest of memories of 1980’s / 1990’s Formula 1. Especially with the Voice of F1 Murray Walker providing the soundtrack.
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix hasn’t been around that long, nor was around when Murray Walker was commentating.
Nevertheless here are a few of our favourite pieces of F1 History at this weekend’s track to fill some time.
2021 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX
A slow burner that ended up with a Max Verstappen tyre failure, red flags, Lewis Hamilton throwing away a win and a few on track clashes.
2017 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX
Where Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel came to blows.
2018 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX
The race where the Red Bulls of Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen collide.
THE BEST OF GP2 / F2
The F2 is certainly worth a follow and the best bits of previous races is above.
