F1 2022 Round 8 - AZERBAIJAN GP

Let’s have some perspective. In every single race they’ve finished this year prior to Monaco Max finished 10+ seconds ahead of Perez. Without the DRS issue in Spain he’d have probably finished 30 seconds ahead in that one. At Monaco Max couldn’t get a final Q3 run because Perez crashed, while in the race Perez was never able to pull away at all and Max looked to have the pace to comfortably keep up, but it’s impossible to overtake in Monaco and the team gave Checo priority in the pitstops.

They’ve been teammates for 29 races and Monaco was the first time Perez finished ahead where Max wasn’t taken out by reliability or a crash. Baku is Sergio’s best track by far so if he’s going to do well anywhere it’s here, but it’s a long race tomorrow and there’s a mountain of evidence pointing to Verstappen being comfortably the faster driver over a season.

Leclerc is an outstanding qualifier. His ability to dig deep and pull out a huge lap is unparalleled on the grid.

The sympathy vote championship. Not the WDC.

Yes, they can. It's their only option. Perez can't usually beat Charles, on pace. So they can't prioritise him over their faster driver who can beat Charles, on pace. Verstappen, with his poor reliability, is 15 points ahead or perez. Max would want to go on a run of 5 races without finishing (or break a leg like Schumacher in 99) to even make red bull consider perez their main championship option.

Leclerc needs to convert those poles to wins, he has 14 poles but only 4 wins

I think he's driving really well and seems to have less issues with his car than Max which has helped.

I don't think he will win the championship but he can certainly challenge for it just like Leclerc.

I think what happened in Spain had a lot to do with Checo winning in Monaco. Verstappen is Redbulls prized pony, he's going to be favoured. Checo is there to get podiums and help RB win the constructors

They used team orders a few races ago. Twice in thst race. Once when petez was on a different strategy and was faster but was told not to attack max. The second time he was told to move over for Max.

Hard to argue RB never favour one driver when we all discuss Perez as a no.2 driver, and they treated him as the no.2 driver a few races ago.

Sainz was 4th in a car that got pole. I don't think there was a team order when Sainz joined Ferrari, but there should be now. He's not as quick or as good a driver as LeClerc

No need to get your knickers in a twist. I do not watch Sky F1 so no idea if they do it or not but yes it was very bad today. It just annoyed me today and your post was just the first one I read today with it that's why I picked it. I was not complaining about you saying it I was just using it as an example.

Race gets underway at midday Irish.

That might catch a few people out since qualifying was scheduled for 3pm Irish (15 minutes delayed) so people might have been expecting a similar race start time.

Seems Checo is standard Mexican Spanish nickname for anyone named Sergio

https://www.thefocus.news/sports/motorsport/f1/sergio-perez-nickname/

"Why is Sergio Perez nickname “Checo”?

In 2013, Sergio Perez answered the question as to why his nickname is “Checo”.

He said: “It’s not really that complicated or interesting.

“In Mexico, where I come from, all Sergios are automatically given the nickname ‘Checo’.

“Sorry, there’s no story behind it!”

In the same way Jim is short for James in English, “Checo” is the short of Sergio in “Mexican” Spanish."

I just hope they get it correct on the radio later when they ask him to move over 😂

If Checo wants to prove himself he needs to do it in a race. He’s got great quali pace but Max will most of the time out drive him over the course of a race.

Today would be a statement from him if he were to manage it - but I honestly don’t expect him to.

Checo has always had good race pace and tyre management, and one-lap quali pace was always seen as his weakness.

Max is obviously the team's number one, but given how close to the pace Checo is, the fact that there are two Ferraris in the mix, and the fact that reliability is a bigger issue this year, he'll be in touching distance for a long way yet. Not unlike the Vettel / Webber years.

Yes me too 😄

Good of Paul diresta to say that the FIA shouldn’t do anything to help Mercedes’ because the bouncing is happening to all teams to some degree.

Sky should really put Hill and Herbert out to pasture

I was hoping he wouldn't get up when he was in the wall on his bike.

I really hate the way Herbert pronounces Charles name.

He really pronounces the C at the end of LeClerc.

So anyone here been to Baku ? During qualifying yesterday I was looking at the camera shots and it looks a beautiful city with the historic and modern. It reminded me of Prague.

Was just thinking that during the national anthem, looks like a really nice place