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Charles Bradley

F1 results: Sergio Perez wins Azerbaijan GP sprint

In the first sprint of the season, which included a new qualifying format (see below), Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc led from pole ahead of Perez, as Max Verstappen (Red Bull) and George Russell (Mercedes) clashed over third. After a safety car interruption, Verstappen retook third from Russell.

Perez DRS-ed past Leclerc on lap 8 and pulled clear to take victory, while Leclerc clung to second ahead of Verstappen, whose car’s floor and sidepod were damaged during his clash with Russell.

2023 F1 Azerbaijan sprint results

Pos  Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Laps   Gap 
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 17 -
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 17 -4.463
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 17 -5.065
63 George Russell Mercedes 17 -8.532
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 17 -10.388
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 17 -11.613
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 17 -16.503
18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 17 -18.417
23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 17 -21.757
10  81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 17 -22.851
11  20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 17 -27.990
12  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 17 -34.602
13  10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 17 -36.918
14  21 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 17 -41.626
15  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 17 -48.587
16  77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 17 -49.917
17  4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 17 -51.104
18  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 17 -1'00.621
22 Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 2 -
2 Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 0 -

How the 2023 F1 Azerbaijan sprint unfolded

Leclerc held his pole position advantage on the run to Turn 1, ahead of Perez. Verstappen and Russell banged wheels through the opening corners, with Russell getting into third at Turn 3 as Verstappen clipped the wall on exit.

Further around the opening lap, Yuki Tsunoda’s AlphaTauri hit the wall at Turn 14, causing a safety car to clear the debris, and his right-rear tyre, off the track.

At the restart on lap 6, Leclerc led Perez, as Verstappen passed Russell for third at Turn 1. Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) overtook Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) to run fifth and sixth.

Perez DRS-ed past Leclerc with ease at the start of on lap 8, and sprinted away to win by over 4s.

Leclerc tried to remain in the Mexican’s DRS range to help keep Verstappen, who had suffered floor and sidepod damage in his opening-lap contact with Russell, at bay.

Despite losing DRS from lap 11, Leclerc held off Verstappen in the closing stages to finish second.

Russell finished a distant fourth, ahead of Alonso and Hamilton. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) passed Alex Albon’s Williams to claim eighth, with Oscar Piastri finishing 10th.

2023 F1 Azerbaijan sprint fastest laps

 Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Gap   Kph 
11 Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'43.616   208.566
16 Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'43.646 0.030 208.505
1 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'43.723 0.107 208.351
55 Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'44.398 0.782 207.003
63 George Russell Mercedes 1'44.409 0.793 206.982
4 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'44.484 0.868 206.833
14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'44.544 0.928 206.714
44 Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'44.601 0.985 206.602
81 Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'44.776 1.160 206.257
10  18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'44.855 1.239 206.101
11  23 Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'44.915 1.299 205.983
12  31 Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'45.090 1.474 205.640
13  20 Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'45.349 1.733 205.135
14  24 Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'45.766 2.150 204.326
15  21 Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'45.768 2.152 204.322
16  10 Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'45.883 2.267 204.100
17  27 Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'45.971 2.355 203.931
18  77 Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'46.277 2.661 203.344

What happened in sprint shootout qualifying?

This was the first weekend run to the latest sprint race weekend format, featuring the first-ever sprint shootout qualifying sessions.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix sprint shootout results: Leclerc on pole from Perez

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay
[s]  
 Delay
[%]  
1 16  Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'41.697 - -
2 11  Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'41.844 0.147 0.145
3 Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'41.987 0.290 0.285
4 63  George Russell Mercedes 1'42.252 0.555 0.546
5 55  Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'42.287 0.590 0.580
6 44  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'42.502 0.805 0.792
7 23  Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'42.846 1.149 1.130
8 14  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.010 1.313 1.291
9 18  Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.064 1.367 1.344
10 Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes - - -
11 81  Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'43.427 1.730 1.701
12 27  Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'43.806 2.109 2.074
13 20  Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'44.332 2.635 2.591
14 24  Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'45.177 3.480 3.422
15 77  Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'45.352 3.655 3.594
16 22  Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'45.436 3.739 3.677
17 10  Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'46.951 5.254 5.166
18 21  Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'48.180 6.483 6.375
19 31  Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'44.088 2.391 2.351

What happened in Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ1?

With cars running the medium tyres in the 12-minute session, it was essentially a long run to set the quickest time. Leclerc did just that with 1m42.820s, almost half a second clear of Verstappen when the red flag halted the session for Logan Sargeant shunting his Williams late on.

Falling at the first hurdle were the Alfa Romeos of Zhou Guanyu and Valtteri Bottas, Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri), Pierre Gasly (Alpine, who suffered an exhaust leak) and Nyck de Vries (AlphaTauri).

Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ1 results: Leclerc fastest from Verstappen

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Delay %   Laps   km/h 
16  Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'42.820     5 210.180
Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'43.288 0.468 0.455 5 209.228
44  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'43.561 0.741 0.721 6 208.677
55  Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'43.622 0.802 0.780 5 208.554
63  George Russell Mercedes 1'43.763 0.943 0.917 6 208.270
14  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.789 0.969 0.942 6 208.218
11  Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'43.858 1.038 1.010 6 208.080
18  Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.879 1.059 1.030 6 208.038
Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'43.938 1.118 1.087 6 207.920
10  23  Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'43.987 1.167 1.135 6 207.822
11  Logan Sargeant Williams/Mercedes 1'44.042 1.222 1.188 6 207.712
12  20  Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'44.101 1.281 1.246 6 207.594
13  81  Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'44.179 1.359 1.322 6 207.439
14  31  Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'44.433 1.613 1.569 6 206.934
15  27  Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'44.843 2.023 1.968 6 206.125
16  24  Zhou Guanyu Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'45.177 2.357 2.292 6 205.470
17  77  Valtteri Bottas Alfa Romeo/Ferrari 1'45.352 2.532 2.463 6 205.129
18  22  Yuki Tsunoda AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'45.436 2.616 2.544 6 204.966
19  10  Pierre Gasly Alpine/Renault 1'46.951 4.131 4.018 3 202.062
20  21  Nyck de Vries AlphaTauri/Honda RBPT 1'48.180 5.360 5.213 6 199.767

What happened in Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ2?

With the field again running medium tyres, Verstappen topped the times this time with 1m42.417s, 0.083s ahead of Leclerc.

Knocked out at this point were Oscar Piastri (McLaren), Nico Hulkenberg (Haas), Esteban Ocon (Alpine), Kevin Magnussen (Haas) and the absent Sargeant – who was withdrawn from the event due to damage to his car.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ2 results: Verstappen fastest from Leclerc

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Delay %   Laps   km/h 
Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'42.417     3 211.007
16  Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'42.500 0.083 0.081 5 210.837
55  Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'42.909 0.492 0.480 6 209.999
11  Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'42.925 0.508 0.496 4 209.966
14  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'42.976 0.559 0.546 5 209.862
44  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'43.061 0.644 0.629 6 209.689
63  George Russell Mercedes 1'43.112 0.695 0.679 7 209.585
18  Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.375 0.958 0.935 6 209.052
23  Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'43.376 0.959 0.936 6 209.050
10  Lando Norris McLaren/Mercedes 1'43.395 0.978 0.955 6 209.012
11  81  Oscar Piastri McLaren/Mercedes 1'43.427 1.010 0.986 6 208.947
12  27  Nico Hülkenberg Haas/Ferrari 1'43.806 1.389 1.356 6 208.184
13  31  Esteban Ocon Alpine/Renault 1'44.088 1.671 1.632 5 207.620
14  20  Kevin Magnussen Haas/Ferrari 1'44.332 1.915 1.870 5 207.134

What happened in Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ3?

Just eight minutes settled the top 10 spots, with all cars now on soft tyres, and Leclerc set pole with 1m41.697s before shunting at Turn 5 on his last lap. Perez was second, 0.147s down, with Verstappen third, 0.290s off the pace.

Russell qualified an impressive fourth for Mercedes, ahead of Sainz’s Ferrari. Hamilton was sixth, ahead of Alex Albon (Williams) and the Aston Martins of Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll.

Lando Norris (McLaren) didn’t run as he had no soft tyres available having used them in proper qualifying on Friday.

Azerbaijan Grand Prix SQ3 results: Leclerc takes sprint pole

Cla   Nº   Driver   Car / Engine   Time   Delay   Delay %   Laps   km/h 
16  Charles Leclerc Ferrari 1'41.697     4 212.501
11  Sergio Pérez Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'41.844 0.147 0.145 5 212.195
Max Verstappen Red Bull/Honda RBPT 1'41.987 0.290 0.285 5 211.897
63  George Russell Mercedes 1'42.252 0.555 0.546 5 211.348
55  Carlos Sainz Jr. Ferrari 1'42.287 0.590 0.580 4 211.276
44  Lewis Hamilton Mercedes 1'42.502 0.805 0.792 5 210.832
23  Alexander Albon Williams/Mercedes 1'42.846 1.149 1.130 5 210.127
14  Fernando Alonso Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.010 1.313 1.291 5 209.793
18  Lance Stroll Aston Martin/Mercedes 1'43.064 1.367 1.344 5 209.683
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