Otherwise that’s us - enjoy what’s left of the weekend!
And here’s your report on an absolute jazzer of a race.
Liquid ouch.
Race win = GONE 😫
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
A puncture denied Valtteri Bottas his first win of the season#AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/uc6VOuAupL
Red Bull’s philosophy is not to stop team-mates fighting and the drivers seem ok with it, so I imagine that’ll be the end of things. Until next time.
Verstappen said originally it was hard racing, but what happened afterwards was “not good”. He says they have to make sure it doesn’t happen again - he and Ricciardo are fine, and when you race “you go for every inch”.
More from Hamilton: “It was an emotional race. Valtteri did an exceptional job and deserved the win. It feels odd to be up here but I have got to take it. It was an untidy race for me.”
Bottas is unhappy, and hiding behind dark glasses. How do you handle the disappointment, he’s asked. “Ten pints of beer.”
So, drivers’ championship standings:
1. Hamilton 70
2. Vettel 66
3. Rakkonen 48
4. Bottas 40
5. Ricciardo 37
6. Alonso 28
7. Hulkenberg 18
8. Perez 15
9. Sainz 13
10. Gasly 12
Nikki Lauda reckons they should’ve cleaned up the track properly, and Bottas should now be celebrating.
Gosh, what a race that was. Can they come here every week?
The trophies are presented. Hamilton shakes up his booze as does Perez, while Raikkonen has a swig of his.
We hear the UK and German anthems. It’s very moving.
Odds and sods: Charles Leclerc of Monaco and Sauber has scored his first ever points. Well in, my man.
Hamilton hasn’t done much celebrating, which is fair enough. His team-mate had a mare, so it’s not being rubbed in, but points are points
Raikkonen hugs his wife and is happy. He struggled a bit to keep his tyres warm enough, but here he is.
Hamilton says it feels “a little bit harsh” to have won, but he kept pushing and he’ll take it.
Lewis Hamilton is well pleased with himself. Yes, I know, but more even than usual.
So, our results:
1. Hamilton
2. Raikkonen
3. Perez
4. Vettel
5. Sainz
6. Leclerc
7. Alonso
8. Stroll
9. Vandoorne
10. Hartley
Classified last: Bottas
Updated
“Well done Lewis. Lady luck was on our side today, but my heart goes out to Valtteri.”
Lewis Hamilton wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, to take the lead in the driver's championship
This does not tell us the whole story.
Updated
Lap 51/51: Hamilton is going to score points for the 29th consecutive race. Not bad.
Lap 51/51: No he doesn’t; I was misinformed. Perez is good for another podium, which will make him the most decorated Mexican driver ever.
Lap 50/51: Perez has a five-second penalty, so will end up behind Stroll.
Lap 50/51: So, we’re Hamilton, Raikkonen, Perez, Vettel, Sainz, Leclerc, Alonso, Stroll.
Lap 49/51: Hamilton hasn’t won a race since Austin last term, but here he is, and he’ll be double-chuffed to learn that Perez has gone by Vettel! He is now fourth!
Lap 49/51: Dearie me! Hamilton is going to win having barely been in the race! Poor old Valtteri!
Lap 49/51: Bottas runs over debris and has a puncture! Ouch!
Lap 48/51: What a mess this has been for Ferrari. Going in when the safety car came out instead of staying in front, then opting to attack instead of defend.
Lap 48/51: Hamilton is gaining on Bottas, Vettel fights back, his wheels locks, and Hamilton and Raikkonen pass him! Trying to win has cost him two places!
Lap 47/51: Bottas goes early!
Lap 47/51: The safety car is on the way out..
Lap 47/51: It looks like we’re getting our dash to the line. Bottas could do with another quick prang behind him.
Lap 46/51: We might just get a restart. In the meantime:
1. Bottas
2. Vettel
3. Hamilton
4. Rakkonen
5. Perez
6. Sainz
7. Leclerc
8. Stroll
9. Alonson
10. Magnussen
Lap 45/51: Grossjean’s car is about to be wynched off the track. Grossjean himself stalks into the garage and theatrically chucks his gloves, but not at himself.
Lap 44/51: There’s all sorts of mess on the track. I’m not sure what kind of race we’ve got left here.
Lap 44/51: Apparently Christian Horner was “shaking with rage”. I’d love to know what that feels like.
@DanielHarris Horner/Marko/entire RB team/me right now #BakuGP pic.twitter.com/GyRhqCz4M3
— just_some_teacher (@teacher_some) April 29, 2018
Lap 43/51: Roman Grossjean, who was going well in fifth, has crashed behind the safety car while weaving to keep the tyres warm! That keep it out for longer, which might be enough for Bottas!
Lap 43/51: Is the plural of Red Bull Reds Bull?
Lap 43/51: Christian Horner is refusing to comment until he’s spoken to the drivers. I’m not certain he’s entirely happy with them.
Lap 42/51: That Red Bull crash doesn’t get less comical. The pair of cars, in the pits together, you’ve got to laugh.
Lap 41/51: Mercedes have played this really well. By keeping Bottas out there as long as possible they allowed for the possibility of a safety car, and they got one. Will Vettel go for the win, or keep second on the basis that Bottas isn’t going to challenge for the driver’s championship?
Updated
Lap 41/51: So what we’ve got now is Bottas in front - Ferrari put fresh tyres on - Vettel, then Hamilton. The charge when the safety car goes, and to the line, is going to be something.
Lap 40/51: Ricciardo wanted to go by on the left, Verstappen said no, Ricciardo was dummying him and went the other way, then shunted him in the jacksie. Their boss will probably want a quiet one.
Lap 40/51: Here comes the safety car, and Bottas pits.
Ricciardo hits Verstappen and both Red Bulls are out
Lap 40/51: The longer Bottas stays out ... excuse me while I interrupt myself! Ricciardo smashes into the front of Verstappen! Both are done! there is going to be trouble!
Updated
Lap 38/51: Bottas stays out for one more lap. He’ll come out ahead of Hamilton, but will he be able to challenge Vettel.
Lap 38/51: Ricciardo goes on and comes out with ultras, getting out in front of Raikkonen. He can now spend the rest of hi afternoon ruckusing with Versatappen.
Lap 37/51 If Bottas goes on ultrasofts, Hamilton will presumably have to let him by to try and challenge Vettel, then be allowed back in front if - when - no impression is made.
Lap 36/51: Bottas is still out there.
Lap 35/51: Ricciardo sets about Verstappen! He goes by after chilling in the slipstream and locking up, but times it well enough to maintain the advantage.
Updated
Lap 34/51: Bottas probably has enough to get in and out ahead of Hamilton, who trails him by roundabout 19 seconds. Vettel is 11.755 off the front.
Lap 33/51: Bottas is lapping faster than Hamilton at the moment, while behind the, Red Bull are staying out to get clear of Raikkonen.
Updated
Lap 32/52: The question for Bottas, or for Mercedes, is whether to stay out longer and try and get to the end on a supersoft. Do they want their drivers racing each other?
Lap 31/51: In to the pits goes Vettel, copying Hamilton’s soft tyes. He comes out behind Bottas, who still needs to pit.
Lap 30/51: We’ve hardly seen Vettel still, so absolute is and has been his domination. Bottas has just set the fastest lap, and is miles ahead of Hamilton.
Updated
Lap 28/51: Hamilton reckons his tyres aren’t great, but is told they should get him to the end. In the meantime, Ricciardo, hot on Verstappen’s tail, sets the fastest lap. He’s still fifth, mind.
Lap 27/51: Ricciardo attacks Verstappen, looks to be past, but Verstappen closes the door! Their manager probably isn’t loving this, watching them lose time fighting with one another, but whatchagonnado.
Lap 26/51: We see Holkenberg walking up the stairs, day did. Vettel leads by ten seconds, and Hamilton is a further nine back.
Lap 26/51: That mistake from Hamilton might just cost him second place. Bottas is still in front and looking strong.
Lap 24/51: Perez has been given a five-second time penalty for overtaking before the safety car did one. He’s eighth, and this is unlikely to hurt him much if at all.
Lap 23/51: Hamilton comes out on softs, still ahead of Verstappen but behind Bottas.
Updated
Lap 22/51: I can’t hear about Hulkenberg without hearing this in my head.
Lap 22/51: Arggh! Hamilton stays out too long on his tyres, endures a lock-up, and loses four seconds! He’ll be into the pits, and they’re waiting for him in the garridge.
Updated
Lap 21/51: Hamilton has just set a fastest lap, for all the good it’ll do him
Lap 20/51: Marcus Ericsson has been given a ten-second time penalty for causing a collision at the start.
Lap 19/51: Hamilton is keeping right on the main straight to avoid the wind. He’s about due a pit, while the Holkenberg-Serotkin-Alonso conflab is deemed unworthy of official action.
Lap 18/51: Things appear to have stabilised, I regret to inform you. Vettel leads by getting close to five seconds, and Bottas is a further second behind Hamilton before a huge gap to Verstapped in fourth.
Lap 17/51:
@DanielHarris These Red Bulls have me sweating #BakuGP pic.twitter.com/QhyI9AcBSK
— just_some_teacher (@teacher_some) April 29, 2018
Lap 16/51: Sainz has really eked everything possible out of his ultrasofts, but he is now in the pits.
Lap 15/51:
1 Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Bottas
4. Sainz
5. Verstappen
6. Ricciardo
7. Leclerc
15/51: Up goes the yellow flag - there’s a branch on the track.
Lap 15/51: I was just thinking, Azerbaijan is a real land of fire.
Lap 14/51: Both Red Bull cars have battery issues, or are expending a lot of what they’ve got trying to attack while fighting with one another. Vettel’s lead is now nearly four seconds; if his car holds it down, he’s going to win, yeah.
Lap 13/51: Vettel has put his foot down - the gap is now nearly 3.5s.
Lap 12/51: Hulkenberg clipped a wall, it seems, while Verstappen than clips his team-mate Ricciardo, trying to pass. There’s a fair bit going on here.
Lap 12/51: we’ve barely spoken about what’s going on at the front because there’s so much going on just behind, but Hamilton has just set the fastest lap, and Vettel’s lead is down to 2.5s or so.
Lap 11/51: Hulkenberg has a puncture! He’s out!
Lap 11/51: Hulkenberg is now ahead of Verstappen, and Ricciardo, behind his team-mate, will probably fancy doing the same.
Lap 10/51: Hulkenberg is ahead of Verstappen! This is great from Red Bull, who are competing with Renault despite a tyre disadvantage.
Lap 9/51: Our leaderboard:
1. Vettel
2. Hamilton
3. Bottas
4. Sainz
5. Verstappen
6. Hulkenberg
7. Ricciardo
Lap 9/51: Ricciardo and Hulkenberg are at it, but Hulkenberg holds it down, and then Sinaz finally diddles Verstappen!
Lap 8/51: Sainz and his ultrasofts attack Verstappen again, but Verstappen closes the door.
Lap 7/51: Hamilton needs more grip, problem being he’s got naewhere to get it. It’s hard to see how he’s catching Vettel even at this early stage - something will need to go wrong.
Lap 6/51: So Vettel has about three seconds on Hamilton, which is a remarkable effort, but behind them Sainz and Verstappen duel for fourth and fifth. Sainz goes by, then Verstappen takes him out immediately afterwards!
Lap 5/51: And off goes Vettel! He starts really smoothly and opens a lead over Hamilton, while Verstappen nips past Ricciardo, who has to move over, and then Sainz does Ricciardo too!
Updated
Lap 5/51: Vettel will want to be careful not to give Hamilton a slipstream when they restart, as he weaves to try and keep the tyres hot. The safety car sign is still up and they’re looking for the line...
Lap 5/51: The safety car is coming in this lap!
Updated
Lap 5/51: Hamilton, meanwhile, won’t be minding all this. He’ll be right up Vettel’s arse when they restart, basically getting another chance to get ahead.
Lap 4/51: All these laps behind the safety car are good for Raikkonen, who is jazzing a one-stop strategy. We’re still behind the safety car, but not for much longer, I don’t think. Vettel, though, is picking out bits of debris.
Lap 3/51: Alonso doesn’t think the crash was his fault. Funny, that.
LAP 1/51
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
Saftey Car deployed as chaos ensues ⚠️
Ocon and Sirotkin OUT
Raikkonen with damage
Alonso suffers two punctures#AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 #F1 pic.twitter.com/kPlobbzLFO
Lap 3/51: Force India have already complained about Raikkonen trying to force himself past Ocon, but there looked space for two cars to me, and that’s what the commentators reckon too.
Lap 2/51: There’s a fair bit of debris on the track which’ll take a while to shift.
Lap 2/51: Sainz has had a good start and is sixth, followed by Perez, followed by Hulkenberg.
Lap 2/51 Alonson in fact has a double puncture, and he’s flapping into the pits.
Lap 2/51: Vettel, Hamilton, Bothas, Ricciardo, Verstappen is your top five.
Lap 1/51: Alonso, an outside bet for this, has a puncture.
Lap 1/51: The safety car is out!
Lap 1/51: Sirotkin is also stopped.
Updated
Hamilton and Vettel get away well, but one of the Force India cars has a collision and there’s debris everywhere! And Raikkonen crashes into Ocon and Ocon is out!
Off we go!
Tenth on the grid won here last term...
The wind is of the gusty, rather than constant variety, and that might be a problem. It also means that it won’t be the same for everyone, as some areas of the course are protected by windbreaks.
The formation lap is away, and the general preference is for the supersoft tyre. Kimi Raikkonen is on ultrasoft, though, so is one to watch off the line.
Updated
Right then, here we are!
I know Ferrari overalls are red, but I can’t have that as justification for bright red trainers – sorry, rules are rules and I don’t make them. Also, Puma; not having that either.
It is definitely windy.
“Do you reckon Alonso has a rabbit available to pull out of a hat today?” emails Andrew Benton. “I saw a McLaren at the Beijing Auto Show yesterday - in hindsight the only worthwhile car there amongst all the boxes on wheels (the future of motoring!) - and they sure look like they should know what they’re doing.”
I guess relative to oneself they all probably do. He’s relying on a lot of errors of aggravation in front of him.
Otmar Szafnauer reckons Force India need a good first lap, the equivalent of cricket’s good first hour. He also notes that his drivers has been informed that he is bigger than both of them, and will interject should there be any more fisticuffs.
The pianist is absolutely buzzing, head racing hither and yon.
Time for the national anthem. Sing along at home!
Oh look, there’s Jay Kay. Of course he’s here.
“Can we have a quick word Miss Aguilera?”
“No.”
I’ll be surprised if anything we’re about to see beats that.
Updated
BREAKING: Martin Brundle has eschewed work this weekend, as it’s his daughter Charlie’s 30th birthday party. Happy birthday Chas!
Imagine if F1 cars could hundred-hand slap and spinning piledrive.
ONE. HOUR. TO. GO!! ⏰
— Formula 1 (@F1) April 29, 2018
It's street fighting, #F1 style. Are you ready?#AzerbaijanGP 🇦🇿 pic.twitter.com/KiLbC87WBI
It’s quite windy in Baku, says Sebastian Vettel. It doesn’t look much judging by the hair and trees I can see, but the chances are that he knows more than me.
The grid:
1. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari
2. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes
4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull
5. Max Verstappen, Red Bull
6. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari
7. Esteban Ocon, Force India
8. Sergio Perez, Force India
9. Carlos Sainz, Renault
10. Lance Stroll, Williams
11. Sergey Sirotkin, Williams
12. Fernando Alonso, McLaren
13. Charles Leclerc, Sauber
14. Nico Hulkenberg, Renault
15. Kevin Magnussen, Haas
16. Stoffel Vandoorne, McLaren
17. Pierre Gasly, Toro Rosso
18. Marcus Ericsson, Sauber
19. Brendon Hartley, Toro Rosso
20. Romain Grosjean, Haas
Preamble
It’s been a belting start to the season. Sebastian Vettel has won two of three races, Daniel Ricciardo has won one of three races, and defending champion Lewis Hamilton has won zero of three races. At the moment, it looks like his Mercedes just isn’t all that ... but the street course here in Baku* might just suit him and it.
Either way, last term this race bestowed upon us a high level of argy-bargy, so let’s hope for more of that and see where we get to.
*not here in Baku
Start: 1.10pm BST
Updated
