Will he make it tomorrow? Charles Leclerc will start from pole position for the fourth consecutive time in Baku and this could really be the great opportunity for a repeat after the triumph in Monza. The superiority he showed in the test (it has always been magical on road courses) has proved to be such as to authorize the rosiest predictions, now that Ferrari seems to have found the right way to go fast (almost) everywherethanks to the tyres that constantly reach the right temperature in the right ‘window’, making the SF24 very balanced, therefore more stable and driveable. Better than its rivals? We’ll understand in the race, but it’s a fact that the Azerbaijani qualifying showed a McLaren not as aggressive as elsewhere and moreover deprived of Norris at the decisive moment, with the Red Bull on alternating current and Mercedes apparently in trouble.
The Azerbaijan track, a classic city track with long straights and not particularly difficult corners, has not been critical for tyre wear in recent years, but on this occasion, according to Leclerc, that is not so obvious. However, compared to a year ago when Charles, gritting his teeth, remained in the lead for two laps, Ferrari is something else and, in addition, there is Sainz ready to play a counterattack from third position, after an excellent simulation of the race pace.
Next to Leclerc, as already happened in Monaco, there is Oscar Piastri, who is the best surprise of this World Cup: the Australian’s second fastest time is a serious threat to Charles as he could join the others at the start and then slipstream to attempt an overtaking move on one of the long straights, unless he manages to get a better start at the lights, a detail which has not been McLaren’s strong point so far. But between Leclerc and Piastri there are 103 more grand prix experience for Charles and this is a factor that cannot be overlooked, as we saw in Monza. And then we must not forget that Piastri will have the full weight of the team on his shoulders, with Norris who for some strange reason will start from 17th position. Vasseur gave some wise advice to Leclerc, in which you can read between the lines that there is the awareness that he can win again: “Try not to overdo it, stay focused and do the minimum necessary.”
The fact that Perez surprisingly finds himself on the second row paired with Sainz should not come as a surprise: Baku is the track of the Mexican, who took his last victory here a year ago.After a long crisis, Checo left behind a Verstappen who was brilliant only in some phases and imprecise in others. Max still starts sixth, that is 11 positions ahead of Norris: will it be enough for him to have a careful race or will he want more, assuming he can afford it?
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