I've just watched a rerun of the quali and from the smile on Max' face it's either that he was incredibly lucky, either they've found - at least for this race - the correct setting to make the car both fast and stable. I tend to balance to the second option, given that this time I didn't hear him complain at all about his car.
Plus, given the awful performance on Racing Bulls cars, I'd think that they may have tried similar settings there too - which don't work there (sorry for Hadjar).

The Ferraris are also not far in the mix, maybe the race will become interesting - at least in tyre strategies if nothing else.

Good luck @stompix with your bets!

I'm glad you've done it, finally.


Well, then I guess that this image fits very good here too (I've found it on the internet yesterday after the race) :

That was really a big upgrade for Red Bull though.    I wasn't expecting it to be such an effective one that will make Max even win a race very comfortably.

And as for McLaren's team order, I don't know what to say. There'd be different opinions but I believe McLaren did right. Because their aim was to keep Norris ahead before pits already.

Ferrari couldn't show us much at home unfortunately... If Max wasn't this fast then maybe Leclerc could have finished on podium.

F1 might be getting to atleast 10 sprint races by 2027, as its adding value to the tickets.
They havent neccesarily led to more ticket sales yet, but just having people stay at the course for longer durations is good in itself

"everyone wants sprint weekends" - said  F1 chief Stefano Domenicali

https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/f1-could-get-10-sprint-races-2027-promoters-embrace-their-value/10758904/

McLaren can win the  constructors' title in Baku,

They can get the second straight constructor's crown by outscoring Ferrari by nine points while preventing Mercedes from outscoring them by 12 or more points or Red Bull outdoing them by 33 or more points.

https://www.thescore.com/formula1/news/3346431/amp

McLaren will be the first team ever to win the title with seven or more races remaining.This breaks the record of red bull from 2023 when they won with 6 races left   

For first practice Norris came in before Piastri then it was Leclerc and Russell.
In the second practice it was all Ferrari with Hamilton coming in first then Leclerc, so it is looking like their car has got pace on this track along with Mercedes with Antonelli trailing just behind Russell.

Now we just need to wait for the third practice session to see if Mercs and Ferraris can keep ahead of the Papaya cars until qualifying begins.

That was a wild qualifying with first Norris going into the wall then Piastri so you knew there were chances for other drivers to get up for the starting grid. But did not expect who was going to be there.

As NeuroticFish has already mentioned: Carlos Sainz and even more surprising Liam Lawson

But for @Stompix sake, Max Verstappen is on pole position in Baku,
So it is more than likely he will win his second race in a row since this is a street track where passing is nearly impossible if he is in the zone for this one tomorrow.

Loool, your betting logic is incredibly interesting... and funny too 

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The race was less interesting than I thought/hoped after that mad qualifying session and after Oscar ending in the wall (again) so early.

McLaren and especially Oscar got a cold shower they've seemed to need. However, McLaren cannot really lose this year.
This second win in a row for Max means that RedBull did - at least partly - the so badly needed fix for their car to make it drivable. Sadly it was such a clear win, there was no show/fun.

I am happy for Carlos. This podium for Williams shows how unfair was F1 with him and his talent. But maybe he is the key to get Williams back to the top of the grid next year, although Alex is also doing a pretty good job there.

Ferrari has again a mediocre race and Lewis finishing in from of Charles was bad strategy.

Mercedes has an incredibly strong race scoring 30 points and getting in front of Ferrari in constructors' championship.

And yeah, Yuki has also grabbed 8 points 

It made sense at that time, from Emilia Romagna Max only managed 1 2nd place (my bet was placed before Belgium) so he would either win one damn race or the way he is going if not winning and getting max points with Yuki lol, contributing to nothing, there was no way RB would get more points than the other 3...of course, not things look a bit different...


Neah, I know a trap when I see one, I'm staying out of race winner bets for this season.