Taken from Caffé#105 by Pino Allievi – FormulaPassion YouTube Channel
Disappointed with the result of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix? I would say so. I certainly was, but above all before me Ferrariwho after the pole position on Saturday was convinced that the victory was a formality. Instead, a party pooper named Oscar Piastri arrived and changed everything. Because the Australian is a bulldog whose talent is still to be discovered. He had a score to settle for the defeat in Monza, he settled it in Baku in the best possible way for him and McLaren, ruining Ferrari’s dreams.
Nobody knows what they said to each other in the motor-home behind the pits in Baku Leclerc and Vasseurbut it must not have been a calm discussion like other times, if we think about Charles’s piqued statement about the 6-second gap he had on Piastri before the pit stops, which almost disappeared once the pit stops were made, he whispered. Shortly after, Vasseur, on TV, called Leclerc “a little optimistic after the first pit stop” because he didn’t push and was overtaken by the Australian, added the Ferrari boss.
It’s hard to understand the origin of what didn’t work, but the set-up a little loaded prevented Leclerc from having the momentum on the straights that was McLaren’s strong point. And then, if Sainz had pushed harder in the early stages, he too could have fought for the win. This is another thing that didn’t work within the Prancing Horse team.
Too bad, because Ferrari had read the circuit and the race well. It was competitive but not enough and it lost a certain opportunity, judging from the statements of those directly involved. But in a decidedly difficult race on an otherwise easy circuit, It was Piastri who emerged as a giant. Few bet on him, but with Oscar you never say never. At 23 years old and with less than 40 Grand Prix behind him, he has raced like a seasoned champion. And he will surely become world champion, given that he has talent to spare and above all patience, unlike his teammate Norris, who is now 59 points behind Verstappen in the world championship standings.
Considering the Max’s disappointmentwho has always traveled 20 seconds away from Perez, something incredible and unacceptable, the three-time world champion seems to me to be suffering from a psychological crisis that should not be underestimated. I mean: Perez, with the same car in Baku, gambled away the victory while Verstappen was lost in the group and was sending alarming messages to the pits about how the car was undriveable. Meh.
Then there was the final incident, the crash between Sainz and Perez himself, in which the responsibility – despite it being an accident without any malice – is more of the Mexican than of Carlos. Too bad for both. But Sainz, given his performances, from a certain point on should have been further ahead.
Patience, there is Singapore right away, on Sunday, to make up for it. With Ferrari called at the repair exam and Piastri who will have to give Norris a hand to steal points from Verstappen. So many reasons to still have fun in this crazy and beautiful world championship, right?
#Baku #Analysis #Worked #Didnt #Ferrari
