Car-by-car Baku preview: F1 drivers ready to embrace new Sprint format

The 2023 Azerbaijan Grand Prix marks the beginning of another new race weekend format and the drivers are already fans.

Tonight will showcase the one and only practice session before Grand Prix qualifying takes place 24 hours earlier than normal.

The times from Friday afternoons qualifying will set the grid for Sunday’s race with Saturday’s on-track action now exclusively focused on the Sprint.

The sprint race will enjoy its own “Sprint Shootout” qualifying session, while the results of the half an hour dash will not set the grid for Sunday’s race, but still offer points for the top eight.

Australia’s Oscar Piastri is already a fan of standalone Sprint Saturdays.

“I think it should be better than the previous sprint format,” he said.

“I didn’t race in it, but I think it will hopefully make the sprint on Saturday a bit more exciting. 

“Obviously without penalties for Sunday it won’t affect the grid. So, we can take a bit more risk.

“I am sure everyone will still be reasonably sensible because we don’t all have a million spare parts, but I think it should be better than what it was previously.”

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton heads to Baku after finishing a promising weekend for Mercedes with his first podium of the season at Melbourne.

Having raced since 2007, Hamilton has seen plenty of different format changes, but he believes the tweaked Sprint schedule will be a challenge for all drivers at an exciting circuit like Baku.

“I think it is going to be tough for everybody,” he said.

“But what a track to be able to do it at, where overtaking is possible and you get great racing here. We always have mostly the best races here. 

“It is definitely difficult to just have one session where you probably get, like, 20 laps and then straightaway, you’re into Qualifying. 

“But we are all in the same boat and that’s what we’re here to do, right?”

Having been untouchable in the first three Grands Prix, Red Bull is the overwhelming favourite to enjoy more Azerbaijan success.

The team has won the last two races around the streets of Baku with Sergio Perez prevailing in 2021 and Max Verstappen getting redemption in 2022 after suffering a race-ending puncture the year before.

With the RB19 being lighting in a straight line and the Baku City Circuit possessing a 2.2km main straight, Perez is confident of chasing more silverware.

“I think our straight-line speed should be one of our strengths (but) it will be very interesting to look at how the new tarmac is,” Perez said. 

“To see if that changes at all because just having FP1 to pick up the right downforce level will be one of the keys.

“If you’re able to have the right downforce level, and be good through the straights, but also looking after your tyres, that will be the main thing.

“Hopefully we’re bringing some upgrades here. When you are in a strong position, you just want to keep going and don’t let others close up the gap. 

“Hopefully we are able to keep on top.”

Download the full F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix event guide here with track stats and facts and a full event schedule, plus our extensive driver profiles.

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