[Official] Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023: Grand Prix Weekend Thread - Round 4 of 23

[P38 in workshop]

I see that others also have limited enthusiasm at best for the sprint racing gimmick.I share it as it only seems likely to lead to more work for the mechanics,with a pitlane curfew to negotiate, and a need to have running cars on track the next day for the race that counts.

[bjohnsonsmith]

I initially thought the change in format would improve things but all they have done, is turn the sprint into a practice session under race conditions. The old format was better, if such a thing was possible. Otherwise, I'd like to see it go.

[BTCC frog]

I would say the old format had a negative effect on the Grand Prix weekend, but the new one is just totally pointless so I think this is an improvement because I didn’t bother watching it, and am instead watching this weekend like a normal Grand Prix format, but those who do enjoy it can watch the extra race (although it is still annoying that some events are now worth 33 points and others 25). But for me, sprint races just don’t work in Formula 1.

Another point is that apparently Tsunoda was caught out by a red flag in sprint qualifying which knocked him out in Q1. It is rather unfair that people’s laps can be spoiled based on the completely arbitrary timing of when a red flag is shown in qualifying. Perhaps in red flag situations in qualifying, anyone past the zone of the incident should be allowed to finish their lap, unless it is a situation of immediate danger (like Grosjean’s Bahrain crash but I can’t think of any recent examples in qualifying).

[chavez]

I love F1, but I don't like to see them racing seems to be a common theme.

A race of a shorter distance somehow devalues the weekend?

[Teretonga]

Originally Posted by steve_r

Yes, I think we all know that - I am talkign about the current crop and indeed other recent AT drivers.

At the moment the AT team have probably the weakest driver pairing on the grid, and clearly neither are good enough for the main RBR team.

The drivers or the car?
DV certainly would have been far better off going to Williams rather than AT.
Even Tost is openly admitting his disappointment in it, acknowledging that the 2023 season is, well, toast....

[Sodemo]

Max and Russell, handbags at dawn. I think Max thinks that everyone should just jump out of the way for him when we all know he has done exactly the same (and worse) to other drivers in the past.

[seanyb505]

Originally Posted by chavez

I love F1, but I don't like to see them racing seems to be a common theme.

A race of a shorter distance somehow devalues the weekend?

I get what you're saying. I think for me the indifference comes from a few places. 1, the racing never seems great during sprints. Maybe that used to be because everyone was saving it for the main event, but yesterday showed even when you try to isolate the sprint from impacting the race, it was still a uninspiring motorsport event. I'd say the shorter format actually hurts it in that regard, as there's fewer chances for status quo to change.

2. For something billed as an attempt to improve the show, the sprint weekends don't, and that's disappointing in and of itself. I wonder what kind of other additions to race weekends aren't being pursued instead. Sprinklers by the track or maybe tube frame v10 mid engine Alfa procars or some such. But no, all we get is a preview of the race, which means the first stint tomorrow is just a replay. Meh.

[S griffin]

This would be better if it didn't count for the championship and was just a bit of fun. That would make it better. Nothing wrong with having this format as a one off, might see a few surprises. We'll see what today brings. I thought it was fascinating yesterday.

Really we shouldn't rely too much on sprints. We have a qualifying format that works fine as it is. Other ideas are welcome, like adding in some new support races, but I can't see where those would come from. Really we should just enjoy F1 for what it is. Anyway here's to a great race hopefully

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Sodemo

Max and Russell, handbags at dawn. I think Max thinks that everyone should just jump out of the way for him when we all know he has done exactly the same (and worse) to other drivers in the past.

Exactly. It was bordering on hilarious to see and hear him having a go at George for having the temerity to fight against him. Trouble is, he's had so little competition recently that he thinks he has a divine right not to be overtaken (which of course is much the same thought as he's always had..... ).

Originally Posted by Akrapovic

Not much to say about the Sprint. It was certainly a thing that happened.

Yep. That just about sums up the sprint(s) for me.

[Mike Harte]

Verstappen is, and always has been, a spoilt brat who, because of his upbringing, feels that he is entitled

[Greem]

I know we've mentioned it in other threads, but the sprint races aren't meant for the likes of us - they're aimed at new viewers, to bridge the gap between 60 second TikTok snippets and a full 90 minute to 2 hour race. A little nibble. An entree, before the main course is served.

I watched it later on yesterday and aside from the first four or five corners, and Tsunoda's shenanigans, it didn't do much for me.

But then I often don't have a starter

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Greem

I know we've mentioned it in other threads, but the sprint races aren't meant for the likes of us - they're aimed at new viewers, to bridge the gap between 60 second TikTok snippets and a full 90 minute to 2 hour race. A little nibble. An entree, before the main course is served.

I watched it later on yesterday and aside from the first four or five corners, and Tsunoda's shenanigans, it didn't do much for me.

But then I often don't have a starter

The question is though, what's for pudding?

[Greem]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

The question is though, what's for pudding?

CHEESE!

[crooky]

Quite enjoying this weekend of 'midday motorsport' after the Spa WEC race also starting around the same time.

[thetool]

Give me 50 laps of Alonso holding off Schumacher at Imola over these meaningless DRS overtakes anyday.

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by Greem

CHEESE!

Well, it's certainly never going to be humble pie......

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by thetool

Give me 50 laps of Alonso holding off Schumacher at Imola over these meaningless DRS overtakes anyday.

Yep. The inevitability of the Perez pass on Leclerc and the ease with which it was achieved was just another example of how dumbed down DRS is making modern F1.

[bjohnsonsmith]

Congrats again to Perez.

[Akrapovic]

Same as the Sprint. It was certainly a thing that happened. Beyond that, Im not sure.

[BTCC frog]

So far in 2023 we have had two absolute snooze-fests (although in both cases a driver outside Red Bull led briefly and then was passed with a boring DRS pass), a mildly entertaining race in Bahrain and one race made exciting by terrible decisions by race control. Not the best start of the season. The hope is that we have raced on quite bad tracks so far, and think will liven later in the season. Australia was a decent race apart from the ridiculous red flags.

This race in Baku was the worst of all so far, in that absolutely nothing happened once the Red Bulls got out in front (if only the abomination of DRS could be scrapped and we would have had a genuine battle for the lead with Leclerc having a chance to hold them off). Following does look to be harder now, but that means changes need to be made to the cars for next year, and the sticking plaster still has to go.

However, it is nice that Perez has now beaten Verstappen twice, and although he was a bit fortunate in Jeddah with Verstappen's issues, this time it was entirely on merit. Verstappen was not unlucky with the safety car, it was a mistake to pit when Nyck de Vries blatantly had a broken suspension and the safety car was inevitable. Although, that obviously could have been Red Bull's mistake rather than his. And on both occasions, Perez was genuinely as fast as Verstappen once he was ahead.

[BTCC frog]

A positive from the weekend was that, for my general dislike of street circuits, it was very entertaining watching the replays of drivers racing inches from the walls and often touching them, a lot like Monaco.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of drivers seemingly underperforming in 2023. Nyck de Vries is really having a poor season and is being dominated by Yuki Tsunoda who has been among the worst drivers on the grid these past seasons (but has improved this year). I can't see De Vries lasting the season on this form. Pierre Gasly is also struggling a lot this year and being outdriven by Esteban Ocon, although he did well for the first half of the Australian Grand Prix. What has happened to the outstanding Gasly of 2021? Carlos Sainz had another underwhelming race similar to Bahrain when Charles Leclerc simply left him standing, while Alonso also showed that the Aston Martin was more competitive than Stroll made it look. Bottas is having a terrible season since Bahrain and Zhou was faster than him for the third consecutive race.

[Greem]

When Ted mentioned the chaos in the pit lane during the start of the final lap, I cringed inside. That was bloody awful pit lane management, and to hear his voice start to get panicked rather than his usual exuberant self was illustrative of how bad things were.

F1 dodged a bullet there. That was very very close to someone getting seriously injured, or worse.

[chillibowl]

scary moment for sure. lucky really!

[bjohnsonsmith]

That was so close.

https://youtu.be/xzyqcywcMeA

[GT6]

Shambles at the end did not help but a boring race.