2017 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, 23-25 June

[Sevach]

I think the tires are ok, but the track poses a challenge. Long straights = tires lose heat. Slow corners = mechanical grip, hard to get heat into tires. In many ways, this track will be similar to Monaco and to some degree Canada. Question is how the car will behave and if they can find the ideal set up...

With the current tires i think this track should've been an Ultra soft track, it's a bit like Pirelli didn't adapt their choices to the current situation.

They are starting to understand, now that they have thrown the hard in the trash, but they are still conservative, you already made durable tires at least be "adventurous" with your choices.

[Phil]

AMuS Analysis so far

http://www.auto-motor-und-sport.de/form ... 86450.html

- RedBull looks extremely quick and could cause a surprise on Sunday
- Long run pace for both RIC and VER are very promising: on SS they were both on average over a stint of 10/11 laps at 1:47.7xx
- Only Seb was quicker on the SS, over a 12 lap stint and 1:47.6xx, but locked up quite a few times and had to avoid into the run-off
- Mercedes struggled by never getting into a proper rhythm, either due to traffic, yellow flags and people in the run-off. A few lock ups didn't help either.
- Mercedes pace at this point seems to be 3 tenths off in the hands of Bottas who had a better session than Hamilton
- RedBull (Horner) seems to think they need to have at least a 3 tenth advantage due to when both Ferrari and Mercedes turn up the wick in Q3.
- RedBull is using a Monza spec wing and made some more gains with a different engine map (no engine upgrade!). The chassis gained a second since Barcelona.
- Compared to RedBull, both Ferrari and Mercedes seem to be using more wing and therefore drag, which may account for the lower top speeds on the straight.

(Best-effort 3 minute translation)

Cheers Phil

[Wass85]

Consistency is going to win Vettel the title this year, Hamilton is looking like he's about to have one of this year's typical nightmare weekends. It will be amazing if Redbull can lock out the front row, I have my doubts though come Q3.

[Restomaniac]

Looks like the troublesome curb has been removed in turn 8. I imagine to try and stop them slamming into the barrier that spends most of its time sponsor-less.

Also if F2 is anything to go by there will be a LOT of VSC and SC on Sunday.

[Bomber_Pilot]

Judging by the F2, this will be a very chaotic race...

[matt_b]

Watching the support races they need to remove that curb on the inside of the castle section or make the exit wider.

[Chuckjr]

Really impressed with the Red Bull pace. They must have really found something in that aero package. They won't have the engine to compete for higher than P5 in quali-- I'd like to be proven wrong tho. Would be great if this became a three team battle each race. Now just get that Merc in the McLaren and F1 becomes a true spectacle again....

"Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner says the Milton Keynes-based outfit has made a substantial development breakthrough by fixing its correlations issues."

Source:
http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... h__Horner/

[matt_b]

Looks like the troublesome curb has been removed in turn 8. I imagine to try and stop them slamming into the barrier that spends most of its time sponsor-less.

Also if F2 is anything to go by there will be a LOT of VSC and SC on Sunday.

There is still a curb, they just changed the line

[giantfan10]

Really impressed with the Red Bull pace. They must have really found something in that aero package. They won't have the engine to compete for higher than P5 in quali-- I'd like to be proven wrong tho. Would be great if this became a three team battle each race. Now just get that Merc in the McLaren and F1 becomes a true spectacle again....

"Red Bull Racing team boss Christian Horner says the Milton Keynes-based outfit has made a substantial development breakthrough by fixing its correlations issues."

Source:
http://www.gptoday.com/full_story/view/ ... h__Horner/

Horner does a great job drumming up interest in his team and pumping up his fanbase... 99 percent of the time its nothing but spin....i suspect this is the case for this instance... im pegging red bull to be fighting for 5th just like normal in qualifying and the race.. ..race engines will be installed in Mercedes and Ferrari cars and engines will be turned up...then teality will set in for red bull : )

[F1NAC]

Poor Renault. What the F are those marshalls doing. They are spraying bodywork ffs

[Restomaniac]

Looks like the troublesome curb has been removed in turn 8. I imagine to try and stop them slamming into the barrier that spends most of its time sponsor-less.

Also if F2 is anything to go by there will be a LOT of VSC and SC on Sunday.

There is still a curb, they just changed the line

http://s1131.photobucket.com/user/timec ... p.jpg.html

It is no longer raised. It isn't now a real curb it's more like a painted track.

[F1NAC]

Looks like the troublesome curb has been removed in turn 8. I imagine to try and stop them slamming into the barrier that spends most of its time sponsor-less.

Also if F2 is anything to go by there will be a LOT of VSC and SC on Sunday.

There is still a curb, they just changed the line

http://s1131.photobucket.com/user/timec ... p.jpg.html

It is no longer raised. It isn't now a real curb it's more like a painted track.

There is still kerb. But it's painted

[seventhsin]

Poor Renault. What the F are those marshalls doing. They are spraying bodywork ffs

I was watching that thinking the same thing, they sprayed the wheels, the sidepods, the rad ducts, the suspension, some marshall unloaded right into the airbox and minutes later they realised it was the cooling outlet that needed attention. I'd be pulling my hair out if I had been a Renault mechanic watching that fiasco.

[Vasconia]

Difficult to know what will happen in this race. Mercedes seem to be strong but Hamilton has some problems with the tyres. Ferrari seems to be there but Vettel has had some problems with the car. Today RB doesnt look so fast.

I also see some big difference between certain problems. To find the correct set-up seems to be a hard task in Baku. Qualy will be truly interesting as the race, I hope.

[F1NAC]

Poor Renault. What the F are those marshalls doing. They are spraying bodywork ffs

I was watching that thinking the same thing, they sprayed the wheels, the sidepods, the rad ducts, the suspension, some marshall unloaded right into the airbox and minutes later they realised it was the cooling outlet that needed attention. I'd be pulling my hair out if I had been a Renault mechanic watching that fiasco.

Aaaand they don't know how to put car into neutral (pressing that button in front of driver). Did they read any manual they're given?