Max in P3 after Baku qualifying: 'Not bad, but not good enough'

Published on 11 June 2022 by Kees-Jan Koster

Max Verstappen qualified third for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. His teammate at Oracle Red Bull Racing, Sergio Pérez, was quicker on the streets of Baku and took second position. But Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc was faster than both Red Bull drivers and took pole position. His teammate Carlos Sainz will start the race tomorrow from P4. George Russell and Pierre Gasly completed the top six.

“It is not bad, but not good enough of course”, says Max. “I made some tiny mistakes, so not ideal. In general, this weekend it is hard to find a good balance. Also in qualifying. In Q3 it did not go very well. I am struggling to find front to rear balance over one lap. That makes it hard to be constant in how to do a lap in terms of braking and steering. Putting a good lap in is difficult then. But I am still third, so I hope the balance in the race tomorrow will feel more normal.”

Asked if he has a better race car than Ferrari, Max answers: “I guess we will find out tomorrow. There is quite a gap now in qualifying, so I think they have found some pace. But I hope it will be a bit closer tomorrow in the race. Overall, we seem to lack a tiny bit over one lap. In the long runs our car should be quite good. As a team, being second and third gives us a good opportunity for tomorrow. If we have the pace and can put some pressure on, hopefully we can get past.”

Qualifying in Baku was delayed by fifteen minutes. As earlier this afternoon FP3 also started fifteen minutes late, caused by repairs on the TECPRO barriers after a crash in the Formula 2 race. When the lights go green the temperature is 25 degrees, and the track temperature is 38 degrees. All drivers want to come out on track immediately, so it is busy straight away. Max also comes out, the first time he sets is a 1:42.938 on soft tyres. Two tenths faster than his teammate Pérez in P2. But it does not take long for Leclerc to take P1 from Max, then Pérez takes P1 from Leclerc, and finally Max takes P1 again from Pérez. The difference between the Dutchman and his teammate is only eleven thousandths of a second.

With two and a half minutes to go before the end of Q1 there is a red flag caused by Lance Stroll. Moments earlier he caused a short yellow flag situation by driving into the TECPRO barriers in turn seven. It looks like he can resume without damage, but then loses control in turn two, crashing his car in the concrete barrier. Besides Stroll, the following drivers are then outside of the top fifteen: Mick Schumacher, Nicholas Latifi, Valtteri Bottas and Alexander Albon. After the red flag there is not much time for a final lap, everyone gets over the line in time to start their lap, but not all of them are able to finish it as Alonso causes a yellow flag in sector two. At the end of Q1 the top three is formed by Verstappen, Pérez and Leclerc. Schumacher, Stroll, Latifi, Albon and Kevin Magnussen drop out of qualifying.

The Oracle Red Bull Racing drivers are the first to enter the track in Q2. Again, everyone wants to set a time quickly. Pérez and Verstappen are only three hundredths apart when they set their first times, with Verstappen in P1. But not much later this one-two is taken by Sainz and Leclerc. With seven minutes to go, copies Sebastian Vettel his teammate by also driving into the TECPRO barriers, but he can continue without damage. Then Pérez sets the first 1 minute 41 of the weekend, with a 1:41.955.

With only four minutes to go, the two Alfa Romeo drivers have not yet set a time. Also Daniel Ricciardo, Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton are in the danger zone. Both Yuki Tsunoda and Lando Norris cause a yellow flag at the end of the session, so not everyone can finish their laps. At the end of Q2 the top three is formed by Pérez, Leclerc and Sainz. Verstappen is in fourth position. He complained about oversteer in his Red Bull car. Bottas, Zhou Guanyu, Ocon, Ricciardo and Norris drop out of Q2.

The final and decisive part of qualifying starts just like the two previous sessions: everyone comes out on track immediately. Meanwhile, the track temperature has dropped by five degrees. Sainz sets the first time of the two top teams, a 1:41.814 on soft tyres. Leclerc is almost five hundredths slower and puts his Ferrari in second position. Pérez follows in P3 (+0.126), Verstappen takes fourth position (+0.175).

Verstappen is sent out first of the two Red Bulls. When Verstappen questions this he is told that the other car has a problem. This was most likely caused by Pérez kissing the wall a moment earlier. Sainz is the first of the four top drivers to go for his quick lap. He loses his chance to improve when he makes a slide in turn two. Leclerc sets a 1:41.359 and takes pole position. Verstappen is three tenths slower than the Monegasque and finished in P3, behind Pérez in P2. Sains will start tomorrow next to Max in fourth position. Russell and Gasly complete the top six.

Contest GP Azerbaijan: win a by Max signed RBR Driver Cap 2022!

Results qualifying Azerbaijan: