Baku is quickly turning into one of the most perplexing venues on the Formula 1 calendar. A proper Jekyll and Hyde track, it seems to fluctuate between delivering the sublime or the ridiculously dull.
Not that it can always be blamed on the track, as when there’s one dominant team then a fight for victory is rare, but at least there is a real battle developing between the two Red Bull drivers on a more regular basis.
It was a weekend that had provided a welcome injection of intrigue into the 2023 season before any racing even took place. Charles Leclerc’s stunning performances in qualifying – even surviving front wing damage in the sprint shootout – ended Red Bull’s run of dominance in every competitive session and saw a Ferrari lining up in P1 on both occasion.
