F1 LIVE: Driver taken to medical centre as Lewis Hamilton calls out Fernando Alonso.
Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. (Image: Getty)
The build-up to the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has been dominated by news off the track this week. Adrian Newey’s confirmed move to Aston Martin has sent shockwaves through F1, with speculation now rife that Max Verstappen could be following him through the door.
However, the Dutchman’s primary focus this week though will be maintaining his grip on the drivers’ championship. He is 62 points clear of Lando Norris, but with eight races to go the gap is closing with McLaren currently superior in pace.
The British team are also now just eight points behind Red Bull in the Constructors’ race. And the first indication of who will be superior this weekend will come at 10.30am BST, when FP1 gets underway in Baku.
Perez impresses Horner
Christian Horner was impressed with Sergio Perez after the Mexican beat team-mate Max Verstappen in qualifying for the first time this season.
“I have no idea. It makes no logical sense in that it’s high-speed, straights with armcos, barriers, 90-degree corners,” Horner said of Perez.
“But he’s always been magic around here and I think that if we had a 24-race championship in Azerbaijan, he’d be pretty tough to beat.
“But it’s good to see him finding his confidence. In every session, he’s been on it.”
Verstappen hits out at media
Max Verstappen has backed Adrian Newey in hitting out at the British media.
The Red Bull star said he agreed with the departing car designed “one hundred per cent”.
Newey said: “Maybe that’s also a little bit of the British media, if I’m honest. Sky have a huge influence around the world. Their viewing is truly international. But their coverage is quite nationalistic, dare I say.
“That can have an influence. It’s this thing that now with journalism, don’t take this personally, but there is that trend to either put people on a pedestal or knock them down.”
good. But again, the Ferrari is certainly not slow.”
Wolff blames Albon
Toto Wolff has blamed Alex Albon for George Russell not starting higher up the grid.
He feels Mercedes would have been starting the race from the second row had Albon not forced Russell to cool his tyres.
“It’s actually disappointing,” Wolff told Sky DE. “This is a Charles Leclerc circuit, but I think we could have been second or third, probably third.
“It was so close. And with the way Alex Albon came to a halt at the exit of the pits, our tyre temperature went down and that’s why the first sector was so bad.”
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