A new generation street circuit devoid of the richness and tradition of the historical tracks, but the 6003 meters of Baku are anything but without an identity. The Azerbaijani track presents the classic risks of racing in the city, adding single-seaters made more unstable by downforce levels that are among the lowest on the entire calendar. The wind and the large temperature variations between the various qualifications and races that will take place in Azerbaijan add to the other headaches of a very special weekend. The teams are fresh off a month of development, which has led to both set-up progress and aerodynamic updates, which are eagerly awaited in the Baku pit lane. However, the time to try out the new features will be reduced to the bone, due to the single free practice session which, according to Domenicali’s statements, could become the rule in the future.
A fast track, but slow
The 2022 Ferrari pole position signed by Leclerc arrived at a lap average of 207 km/h. Despite one of the longest straights in the world, that of Baku turns out to be like this the slowest track among those visited so far in 2023. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Australia in fact recorded averages in qualifying of 217, 252 and 247 km/h respectively. The figure, which is only apparently inconsistent, embodies all the nature of the Azeri citizen, a stop and go track with long straights alternating with violent braking and low-speed curves. Brembo underlines how Baku is the only circuit where the brakes are used in all the first eight corners of the lap. In total, braking lasts more than two seconds on four occasions, with the system being used for just over 19 seconds per lap. Indeed, there are 78 tons of cumulative load exerted on the brake pedal in the race, which corresponds to the highest value among the first five Grands Prix.
In Azerbaijan, low-traffic curves dominate, between right-angle ones and the technical castle section. Low-speed restarts place emphasis on traction, presenting Baku as a more limiting track for the rear axleand, contrary to Jeddah and Melbourne which were instead front limited. The combination of long straights and slow curves, where the mechanical grip guaranteed by the suspension acquires importance compared to the aerodynamic load, leads to unloading the wings. Furthermore, there is a tendency to select heights from the ground that favor aerodynamic efficiency, without however requiring excessive mechanical stiffness of the suspensions so as not to hinder slow agility. Finally, the Azerbaijani capital is known as the city of winds due to the sudden gusts that sweep its streets. The 2023 single-seaters with the highest floor proved to be more sensitive to the wind, which moreover in Baku repeatedly changes direction from one curve to another, with the complicity of the buildings on the edge of the track.
Structure complicated by the format
In Azerbaijan Pirelli brings the softest compounds in the range, the C3, C4 and C5, with which Ferrari fared better on average. In Baku, however, getting the tires up to temperature is often a difficult task due to several factors: the low-grip asphalt; the low aerodynamic configurations that transfer little energy to the tires; the long straights which tend to cool the tyres. Bet on a double preparation lap in qualifying it could be a good tactic, but one can’t wonder if at that point in Saturday morning’s qualifying, where Q3 will last just 8 minutes, the teams won’t have to sacrifice one of the two attempts.
Another unknown factor is that linked to the temperatures of the asphalt. Baku runs in the late afternoon, with the track evolving rapidly from session to session. Friday qualifying and the sprint race will take place at 5 and 5.30 pm local time, Saturday qualifying at 12.30 while the Grand Prix will start around 3 pm, with about 10°C more on asphalt compared to the sprint. One of the biggest difficulties will be defining a competitive set-up in all conditions. In fact, the increase in temperatures will tend to shift the balance slightly towards the front, accentuating oversteer, an effect diametrically opposite to that caused by the tires on the track during the weekend.
Ferrari and Mercedes are looking for confirmations
In a month off, many things can change, although it seems difficult to think that Red Bull may have lost its first force role. For the world champions, the greatest difficulty will be to stay away from the various traps of the weekend, Safety Car included, variables that could undermine a success for which Red Bull remains the favourite. For Ferrari instead the Azeri round represents the greatest test of maturity for an SF-23 which in the first races was excessively sensitive to external conditions, with an operating window too narrow to be able to fully express a potential that they continue to consider competitive in Maranello. After Australia, Vasseur was confident that Ferrari was on the right track to solve this problem and indicated that Baku would be an important check, above all due to the great variability of the wind. As well as the Cavallino, too Mercedes seek confirmation after the good pace seen in Melbourne. However, the Australian one was a more limiting track for the front, while the Azeri circuit puts the magnifying glass on the rear, which on the W14 remains a dancer. In Azerbaijan it will thus be seen how much the Australian result was the result of a friendly track and how much of a car that has grown as a whole. Aston Martin finally addresses its biggest shortcoming. In fact, the AMR23 at the beginning of the year was slowed down by excessive aerodynamic resistance, a problem to which solutions will soon arrive.
They are expected in Baku updates far and wide in the starting grid. Eyes focused above all on McLaren, with Team Principal Andrea Stella who has repeated since the beginning of the year that the Woking season would begin in Azerbaijan, where a substantial package of developments will arrive. However, for all the teams, testing the new parts won’t be easy, given that the one free practice session will have to be maximized above all to prepare for the complicated weekend. Therefore, the actual benefits of the various updates will hardly be perceived before Miami. The last technical topic of the Baku stage will be the management of the power units. There Formula 1 approved to increase from three to four the number of heat, turbo, MGU-H and MGU-K engines that can be used in the season. A change that is not insignificant, which will surely lead engine manufacturers to choose more aggressive mappings to release more horsepower.
#Baku #headaches #format #wind #tires #developments