2022 Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen.jpg
Formula 1's eighth race of the 2022 season sees the field take to the streets of Azerbaijan with Red Bull and Max Verstappen carrying heavy championship momentum into the weekend.

Sergio Perez collected his first win of the season at Monaco the last time F1 raced, notching the fifth win for Red Bull over seven races. Red Bull and driver Max Verstappen now hold the lead in both the constructors and drivers championships.

Ferrari's strong start to the season has slowed somewhat, though Carlos Sainz managed to split the podium finishes for Red Bull last time out. His teammate Charles Leclerc was unable to collect a first victory at his home race, though his fourth place finish was better than many previous outings in Monaco.

George Russell's impressive season continued through the seventh race, as he crossed the line with his Mercedes with yet another top five finish. Teammate Lewis Hamilton looked stronger in Monaco than he had in previous races this season, but could not find his way past Fernando Alonso and was the first in a long train of cars that stagnated on a track where overtaking is rare.

Finishing behind Russell was Lando Norris, who has been the better performing driver for McLaren this season. His team finds themselves with a sizable gap to the next constructor in the championship for the first time this year.

Azerbaijan has typically afforded significant passing opportunities thanks to a long, flat-out and DRS-assisted run from turn 19 to turn 1, so this should be an exciting race. Ferrari will look to reclaim some momentum in the championship standings another strong finish from Sainz or Leclerc. Will the red team fight back against the blue team after having no wins since Australia?

What are your predictions for this weekend? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter @RaceDepartment
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About author
Mike Smith
Mike Smith
I have been obsessed with sim racing and racing games since the 1980's. My first taste of live auto racing was in 1988, and I couldn't get enough ever since. Lead writer for RaceDepartment, and owner of SimRacing604 and its YouTube channel. Favourite sims include Assetto Corsa Competizione, Assetto Corsa, rFactor 2, Automobilista 2, DiRT Rally 2 - On Twitter as @simracing604

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Comments

K
Kenny Paton said:
I wonder why almost every F1 race thread degenerates into a pro vs anti Lewis Hamilton discussion, where the same arguments are repeated ad nauseam.
Here's a thought why not just discuss the actual race that's in the thread title
Click to expand...
That’s what I was trying to do, but as you rightfully point out, it degenerated in the usual pro vs anti LH argument.

As for the race, there’s not much to discuss. A boring race on a Mickey Mouse circuit. It was so dull that Verstappen had to plead with his race engineer who wanted him to take it easy. Verstappen was afraid his tires would get too cold.

As it is too often the case, the Indycar race at Road America was far better. A real race track, great cars, passing without DRS and some great battles. Plus, Indycar is 100% Toto Wolf & Christian Horner-free. :D
 
LeSunTzu
Kingkoenig said:
That’s what I was trying to do, but as you rightfully point out, it degenerated in the usual pro vs anti LH argument.

As for the race, there’s not much to discuss. A boring race on a Mickey Mouse circuit. It was so dull that Verstappen had to plead with his race engineer who wanted him to take it easy. Verstappen was afraid his tires would get too cold.

As it is too often the case, the Indycar race at Road America was far better. A real race track, great cars, passing without DRS and some great battles. Plus, Indycar is 100% Toto Wolf & Christian Horner-free. :D
Click to expand...
That's because they drive the same car ;) Funny to see how silent the crowd is about this radio exchange between Max and his engineer. If it had been Hamilton and Bono a few months ago they would yell F1 is dead and they won't watch any single race anymore. But I'd bet this will come back soon if RedBull continues to dominate like that.
 
muzikant
Well they don't drive the same car.. it's not formula 3...
Merc can make the car higher
less bothered by porpoises but they won't, because then they won't make it through Q1 in qualifying.

I'm assuming Ferrari will just come back maybe they should keep the revs low so the car remains reliable or whatever? the car is sooo good in the corners probably better than the RB
 
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RedBull48
Kingkoenig said:
That’s what I was trying to do, but as you rightfully point out, it degenerated in the usual pro vs anti LH argument.

As for the race, there’s not much to discuss. A boring race on a Mickey Mouse circuit. It was so dull that Verstappen had to plead with his race engineer who wanted him to take it easy. Verstappen was afraid his tires would get too cold.

As it is too often the case, the Indycar race at Road America was far better. A real race track, great cars, passing without DRS and some great battles. Plus, Indycar is 100% Toto Wolf & Christian Horner-free. :D
Click to expand...
I really enjoyed the Indycar race this weekend. Road america is a really fun circuit. I understand spec series isn't everyone's cup of tea but I imagine most motorsports fans would enjoy the watch.
 
Zolazem
Premium
Kenny Paton said:
I wonder why almost every F1 race thread degenerates into a pro vs anti Lewis Hamilton discussion, where the same arguments are repeated ad nauseam.
Here's a thought why not just discuss the actual race that's in the thread title
Click to expand...
Agree with you! But at least we have a discussion now. I wanted to start a discussion about porpoising in 2022 season, I don’t know why people start taking about last season again and again and again :(
Porpoising is a 2022 problem which the teams has to solve themselves in my opinion but it seems FIA to start an investigation because of the crying from the Mercedes team.
 
D
Richard Wilks said:
Oh please, there is no proof of this at all.

I am pretty sure these drivers dont know what is a lap around Sebring...
Click to expand...
Maybe there just isn't any proof, yet. What kind of proof are you after anyway? Do we have to force the drivers to endure 10-20 years of porpoising before concluding whether brain damage will occur? I'd rather we test on rats first.

Someone stated earlier that these drivers porpoise at speeds of up to 6 Gs. Although their bodies are strapped down tight in their harnesses, the drivers' brains are suspended within their skulls in cranial fluid. The fluid doesn't offer much protection before the brain makes contact with the inside of the skull, so I'd guess that 6 Gs (maybe even as little as 2) will result in brain-to-skull contact.

Furthermore, the drivers are bouncing throughout the entirety of their free-practice and qualifying sessions, as well as the race. I may be wrong about this, but I assume that they're also driving these cars throughout the week during training sessions. When given consideration to the length of a season, I think the drivers are undergoing excessive exposure to this phenomenon.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. In fact, I actually hope I am. However, as someone who has heard about the occurrence of brain injury among American football players, I have reservations about the current grid of drivers being subjected to these oscillations.
 
LeSunTzu
You make good points except that they are not allowed to drive the car between GPs, just do some simulator work.

However I doubt anything will change before Mercedes fix their own specific issues. Meanwhile it would be unfair if they change the rules just because one team went wrong.
 
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D
Kenny Paton said:
I wonder why almost every F1 race thread degenerates into a pro vs anti Lewis Hamilton discussion, where the same arguments are repeated ad nauseam.
Here's a thought why not just discuss the actual race that's in the thread title
Click to expand...
Because 8* times WDC Lewis is singled out for criticism rather than lauded for his achievements in every F1 thread maybe?
 
muzikant
winston malcolm said:
Because 8* times WDC Lewis is singled out for criticism rather than lauded for his achievements in every F1 thread maybe?
Click to expand...
the eight world titles.. sorry seven..show that for some Formula 1 fans including me he may not be as special as it seems. Because many of the current talents could have easily won those world titles ;) to easy.

that doesn't change the fact that he's not a good driver.. he is, but certainly not the best in the history of the sport
 
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muzikant
justwannadl said:
Maybe there just isn't any proof, yet. What kind of proof are you after anyway? Do we have to force the drivers to endure 10-20 years of porpoising before concluding whether brain damage will occur? I'd rather we test on rats first.

Someone stated earlier that these drivers porpoise at speeds of up to 6 Gs. Although their bodies are strapped down tight in their harnesses, the drivers' brains are suspended within their skulls in cranial fluid. The fluid doesn't offer much protection before the brain makes contact with the inside of the skull, so I'd guess that 6 Gs (maybe even as little as 2) will result in brain-to-skull contact.

Furthermore, the drivers are bouncing throughout the entirety of their free-practice and qualifying sessions, as well as the race. I may be wrong about this, but I assume that they're also driving these cars throughout the week during training sessions. When given consideration to the length of a season, I think the drivers are undergoing excessive exposure to this phenomenon.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. In fact, I actually hope I am. However, as someone who has heard about the occurrence of brain injury among American football players, I have reservations about the current grid of drivers being subjected to these oscillations.
Click to expand...
did the drivers from the 80s also suffer brain damage? not to mention the turbo pressure
 
Celestiale
winston malcolm said:
Because 8* times WDC Lewis is singled out for criticism rather than lauded for his achievements in every F1 thread maybe?
Click to expand...
Half of the grid would have won these 7(!) world titles with Rosberg and Bottas as teammates, would they have been in the position Lewis was in. I'd say there would have been quite some drivers who would actually have won 8 titles :roflmao: and not lost against Rosberg.

He is also not really criticized at all, not in a negative way at least. Only thing I see, is rather objective F1 fans that criticize people(!), that lifted Hamilton up to a godly status and finally have prove(!) and not only some observations, that he was never anything close to a "GOAT".
Now that every race further cements this evidence, I guess there is enough reason to mention it in the respective discussion threads.
 
Richard Wilks
justwannadl said:
Maybe there just isn't any proof, yet. What kind of proof are you after anyway? Do we have to force the drivers to endure 10-20 years of porpoising before concluding whether brain damage will occur? I'd rather we test on rats first.

Someone stated earlier that these drivers porpoise at speeds of up to 6 Gs. Although their bodies are strapped down tight in their harnesses, the drivers' brains are suspended within their skulls in cranial fluid. The fluid doesn't offer much protection before the brain makes contact with the inside of the skull, so I'd guess that 6 Gs (maybe even as little as 2) will result in brain-to-skull contact.

Furthermore, the drivers are bouncing throughout the entirety of their free-practice and qualifying sessions, as well as the race. I may be wrong about this, but I assume that they're also driving these cars throughout the week during training sessions. When given consideration to the length of a season, I think the drivers are undergoing excessive exposure to this phenomenon.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. In fact, I actually hope I am. However, as someone who has heard about the occurrence of brain injury among American football players, I have reservations about the current grid of drivers being subjected to these oscillations.
Click to expand...
Sorry i dont fall for Mercede's blatant fear mongering.

Gs and it's effects on humans, as well as ressonances and frequencies, are very well studied from the aeronautics experiences, and from years of people driving way stiffer cars in way more bumpy tracks for decades.

All this crying is them wanting a handout, i stand by it.
 
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Damage Inc
justwannadl said:
Maybe there just isn't any proof, yet. What kind of proof are you after anyway? Do we have to force the drivers to endure 10-20 years of porpoising before concluding whether brain damage will occur? I'd rather we test on rats first.

Someone stated earlier that these drivers porpoise at speeds of up to 6 Gs. Although their bodies are strapped down tight in their harnesses, the drivers' brains are suspended within their skulls in cranial fluid. The fluid doesn't offer much protection before the brain makes contact with the inside of the skull, so I'd guess that 6 Gs (maybe even as little as 2) will result in brain-to-skull contact.

Furthermore, the drivers are bouncing throughout the entirety of their free-practice and qualifying sessions, as well as the race. I may be wrong about this, but I assume that they're also driving these cars throughout the week during training sessions. When given consideration to the length of a season, I think the drivers are undergoing excessive exposure to this phenomenon.

Who knows, maybe I'm wrong. In fact, I actually hope I am. However, as someone who has heard about the occurrence of brain injury among American football players, I have reservations about the current grid of drivers being subjected to these oscillations.
Click to expand...
Seeing as a large section of F1 fans didn't care when Max's brain hit his skull at 50+g don't expect many to care about 6g.

Ultimately it should be up to the affected drivers and the teams to set the cars up to reduce the effect. Drivers can choose long term health and slower lap times or not, the ball would be in their court.
 
D
Celestiale said:
Half of the grid would have won these 7(!) world titles with Rosberg and Bottas as teammates, would they have been in the position Lewis was in. I'd say there would have been quite some drivers who would actually have won 8 titles :roflmao: and not lost against Rosberg.

He is also not really criticized at all, not in a negative way at least. Only thing I see, is rather objective F1 fans that criticize people(!), that lifted Hamilton up to a godly status and finally have prove(!) and not only some observations, that he was never anything close to a "GOAT".
Now that every race further cements this evidence, I guess there is enough reason to mention it in the respective discussion threads.
Click to expand...
This post highlights exactly what I mean and you wrote it as a rebuttal !!
:)
 
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paracletus
Some intervention by FIA then today, not sure what it is yet.
It seems all the old-timers (haha) are getting beaten by the young guns -
alonso (some say the best driver of all time) getting shown up by okon
ricardo getting left behind by norris
hamilton getting beaten by rusell

interesting. perhaps the kids can absorb the bumps better - more padding on the rear, too much pizza :D

whatever, it doesn't prove much if anything. Even the great MS couldn't beat NR, but that doesn't discredit anything the legend did.
 
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rivett
paracletus said:
Some intervention by FIA then today, not sure what it is yet.
It seems all the old-timers (haha) are getting beaten by the young guns -
alonso (some say the best driver of all time) getting shown up by okon
ricardo getting left behind by norris
hamilton getting beaten by rusell

interesting. perhaps the kids can absorb the bumps better - more padding on the rear, too much pizza :D

whatever, it doesn't prove much if anything. Even the great MS couldn't beat NR, but that doesn't discredit anything the legend did.
Click to expand...
It comes to us all my 17 year old Grandson is faster than I am over 1 lap , However at 61 I still own his ass in a race =).

The season is "young" yet most tracks have not needed much experience on them. I always think Spa sorts the men from the boys =)
 

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