Leclerc crashes but still takes Sprint pole in 'fast and furious' session

F1
2 Charles Leclerc 2023 Azerbaijan GP

Leclerc qualifying bump was most exciting part of 'Sprint Saturday'

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F1’s latest new format got going proper in Saturday in Baku, with Charles Leclerc going fastest in the Sprint Shootout, despite crashing his Ferrari on his final run and inducing an exciting ending.

The Monegasque got away with just front wing damage on his final run, as fading tyres – drivers are required to run on one new set in each sprint qualifying knockout session – meant Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen were unable to take advantage of the Ferrari man’s crash. They’ll start second and third respectively.

“I took the dust [on the track] with overheating of the tyres and lost it,” said Leclerc.

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“All I had in mind was to hit the wall as straight as possible. I don’t think there’s that much [damage] only the front wing.”

However, the Monegasque revelled in the challenge of Baku’s street circuit. “I like to be in between the walls. It’s good to be quick here in quali, but I’ve never won. Once it comes to tyres management [in the race], we are struggling. We’ve done some steps forward, but we still need to confirm it.”

George Russell qualified fourth, with Leclerc’s team-mate Carlos Sainz’s challenge was halted by the yellow flag caused by his team-mate’s shunt.

“I feel sorry, none of that was wanted,” said Leclerc. Sainz is fifth with Lewis Hamilton sixth.

Meanwhile the man joining him on the front row of the grid, Perez, said “It was a tricky session. Having a little bit more of a run on my lap would have helped me get pole. They [Ferrari] are stronger than us over one lap, hopefully we can beat them on race pace.

“It was fast and furious [the new format]. It won’t be long before they put a ring in the middle of the track to get all the drivers to have a fight!”

Here’s how the action played out.

 

SQ1

Logan Sargeant Williams 2023 Azerbaijan GP

Sargeant crashed out of SQ1

Williams

With all drivers required to use one set of new medium tyres SQ1, there wasn’t much time to take advantage of the fresh rubber, but it was Charles Leclerc who was quickest on the first runs on a 1min 43.372sec.

Max Verstappen was just 0.191sec behind, with the lead Red Bull and Ferrari drivers looking intent on having their own private qualifying session.

Pierre Gasly and Nyck de Vries, who had both crashed without setting a lap during qualifying for the grand pirx on Friday, were both slowest with their first efforts, before the former was wheeled into the pit garage with an exhaust problem.

Leclerc then stamped his authority on proceedings by going 0.468sec faster than Verstappen at 1min 42.820sec.

Hamilton, Sainz and Russell were behind in third, fourth and fifth respectively and that’s how it stayed after Logan Sargeant smashed into the wall halfway round, bringing the session to a close with 25sec left.

“The Ferrari’s were in the middle of the road,” complained the US driver after coming across both Scuderia cars prior to his off.

The Williams driver had been in ninth and set to go through to SQ2, and his crash inadvertently eliminated – from 20th to 16th – de Vries, Gasly, Yuki Tsunoda, Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu.

 

SQ2

Oscar Piastri McLaren2023 Azerbaijan GP

Piastri was eliminated in SQ2

McLaren

As SQ2 began Aston’s intermittent DRS issues continued, with Fernando Alonso’s still refusing to open in the requisite zones.

With just ten minutes to set a quick lap, cars queued again to out as quickly as possible, with Max Verstappen initially on top with 1min 42.417sec, and Leclerc 0.4sec behind in second.

Both Red Bulls came into the pits early, confident of getting through, while Alonso’s DRS ailment was cured to help him go fourth, 0.55sec off the pace.

Leclerc managed to get within 0.083sec off Verstappen, as a yellow flag came out for his team-mate Sainz, who had overrun at Turn 15.

Frenetic action followed as drivers desperately tired to get into the top ten, and it was Aston who won out by getting Alonso to give Stroll a tow – the Canadian made it into SQ3 with his malfunctioning DRS in seventh.

This eliminated McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, ironically leaving team-mate Lando Norris in 10th, who couldn’t take part in SQ3 due to not having any more new soft tyres, as per the rules.

With both Red Bulls, Ferraris, Mercedes and Astons through, most impressive was Alex Albon who set eighth-fastest time for Williams – “Yes, yes, yes!” was his reaction.

 

SQ3

3 Charles Leclerc 2023 Azerbaijan GP

Leclerc steps out of damaged Ferrari with pole secured

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Both Red Bulls got out early and were sat at the end of pitlane when the final session started, with only eight minutes given to set a time.

Verstappen was clearly pushing to the max on his initial run, getting a moment of lurid oversteer mid-lap.

This meant team-mate Perez went fastest with a 1min 41.876sec, but this was soon deposed by Leclerc by 0.179sec, the Monegasque clearly enjoying himself on the Baku streets.

Yet again Alonso’s DRS malfunctioned, leaving him ninth with Stroll eighth.

Cars crawled round the track in preparation for their second runs so as not to wear out their soft tyres, before drama began to unfold.

Leclerc put his Ferrari into the barriers, opening the door for Red Bull to snatch pole.

Perez set the fastest middle sector, but with his tyres fading couldn’t take first off the Ferrari, and neither could Verstappen – they ended second and third respectively.

Russell lifted himself up to fourth, as Leclerc’s shunt stymied team-mate Sainz’s last effort.

Leclerc managed to reverse out of the barrier, and was left to sheepishly bring his Ferrari back to the pits with half his front wing hanging off – but he’d gone fastest in his fourth Baku qualifying session in a row.

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