The start of the Baku GP is almost here, which this year, unlike previous editions, will be held in September instead of at the beginning of the season. This event is always unpredictable, thanks to the nature of the city circuit, which every year reserves surprises and twists. The first signs of an eventful race arrived yesterday, during the qualifications, with penalties and sanctions that have distorted the starting grid, promising a race full of emotions: let's see how the starting order of the Baku GP changes.
Leclerc dreams of victory after fourth consecutive pole in Baku
For the fourth consecutive time, Charles Leclerc will start from pole position on this street circuit, but is still looking for his first win in Azerbaijan. The Ferrari driver will be joined on the front row by Australian Oscar Piastri, sensationally the only McLaren in the top 10.
Carlos Sainz will start from third position, ready to defend himself from the attacks of the Red Bull drivers, Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen, who will start from fourth and sixth position respectively. Both will try to return to the podium after the inconsistent results of the last races. Lando Norris, eliminated in Q1, will start from fifteenth position, benefiting from the penalties given to Pierre Gasly and Lewis Hamilton, but his comeback will be anything but simple.
Many penalties upset the ranking
Penalties have become a deciding factor in the composition of the grid: Hamilton, who should have started in the top 10, will be forced to start from the pit lane together with Esteban Ocon. Mercedes has decided to change the Power Unit of the seven-time World Champion, as has Alpine, worried about reliability alarms.
Top 10: Ferrari on pole, Red Bull chasing
The front row, as mentioned, will therefore be led by Charles Leclerc, determined to transform the pole position into a victory that has so far eluded him in Baku. The Monegasque driver will be joined by the young Oscar Piastri, who with his McLaren managed to surprise, bringing the Woking team to the front row.
Carlos Sainz will start third and will have to deal with immediate pressure from Sergio Perez, who from fourth position will try to get away fast to stay close to the podium in the early stages of the race. Perez, already a winner in Baku, knows the circuit well and his experience will be an important weapon. In sixth position, Max Verstappen, three-time world champion, will still be a constant threat.
Fifth-placed George Russell represents another force in the Mercedes field, while seventh-placed Fernando Alonso could once again use his wealth of experience to secure a surprise result. Albon and Bearman round out the top 10, with a solid performance in qualifying and ready to defend their positions in the race.
From the back: the comeback of Hamilton and Gasly
The back of the grid offers just as many challenges. Lando Norris, who only managed the fifteenth fastest time, will be looking to capitalise on his improved position after Gasly and Hamilton were penalised. The McLaren driver is called upon to make a complex comeback on a street circuit where overtaking is never easy.
Zhou, who will start from the ninth row due to the replacement of components of his power unit, will be joined by Gasly, disqualified for technical irregularities. At the back of the grid, from the pit lane, will start Lewis Hamilton and Esteban Ocon, both called upon to have a difficult race to recover positions and collect precious points.
With the Constructors’ Championship now wide open, thanks to the recovery of Ferrari and McLaren and the possibility for Red Bull to return to the fore after a few subdued races, the fight for points in Baku could prove decisive. Strategy will be key and, as Ferrari has highlighted, tyre choices will play a key role in a race that does not forgive mistakes.
The starting grid of the Baku GP
| 1 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari |
| 2 | Oscar piastri | McLaren |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz | Ferrari |
| 4 | Sergio Perez | Red Bull |
| 5 | George Russell | Mercedes |
| 6 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull |
| 7 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin |
| 8 | Franco Colapinto | Williams |
| 9 | Alexander albon | Williams |
| 10 | Oliver Bearman | Haas |
| 11 | Yuki tsunoda | Visa Cash App RB |
| 12 | Nico Hulkenberg | Haas |
| 13 | Lance stroll | Aston Martin |
| 14 | Daniel Ricciardo | Visa Cash App RB |
| 15 | Lando Norris | McLaren |
| 16 | Valtteri Bottas | Stake F1 |
| 17 | Zhou Guangyu | Stake F1 |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine |
| Lewis Hamilton (Pit Lane) | Mercedes | |
| Esteban Ocon (Pit Lane) | Alpine |
