It is widely believed that Baku and Montreal will be – or would be – two pro Red Bull tracks. However, they may be less so than people say, as they are thinking only about straight-line performance.
With the Azerbaijani circuit the maximum speeds will of course be monitored but that’s not all, given the fact that the track it is a mix of streets where you can find speed even through traction and a very slow crucial section.
The 2022 Formula 1 cars are made for corners but porpoising had limited their performance which led the technicians to stiffen the suspension, although as little as possible. Now that the bouncing phenomenon seems to be minimized (not yet resolved), the simulations of a team point to the fact that the Baku event could be the first with performances close to the level of 2021 or even matching the times from last season.
Baku remains a layout where attention to the rear must be maximum, therefore a rear limited track. Both Red Bull and Ferrari have reduced weight as much as possible.
A few kilos more or less are a sensitive factor on a long circuit, which has lot of slow corners followed by straights. To give an example, in theoretical simulation terms, the weight accounts for about 20% more than in Barcelona. So 10 kg equals over 0.37 seconds. In this sense it now seems like a race almost on an equal footing, however much more than it could have been at the beginning of the season given that the disadvantage of Newey’s car is almost reduced.
Engine power will of course be important but, with units not so far from each other, one key factor will be the game of tows or the luck of finding a perfect one.
Charles Leclerc with the SF21 scored a sensational Pole with 15hp less (3 tenths and a half), and a very low load configuration on board, especially if we look at the W12 of a year ago.
While this proved surprising on Saturday, it was something that didn’t help Ferrari in the race.
The Azerbaijan GP is not one of the most unforgettable tracks from the design point of view but normally it offers long races, with uncertain outcomes, indeed it is legitimate to say rather spectacular outcomes.
While the first version of the car number 675 is running in the wind tunnel in Maranello, the Scuderia is certainly called to turn things around on the race track. Certainly not only to confirm the strong level of performance shown by the F1-75 car, but most importantly to regain confidence in the management of strategies. Given the historical frequency of multiple safety cars, the results of the Baku races were often unexpectedly messed up by strategies, as explained by Giuliano Duchessa for formu1a.uno
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The two teams fighting for the world titles should once again be very close. While it is highly unlikely to find Mercedes or other teams closer than was seen in this first part of the season. The reigning constructors’ champion team is still struggling with some problems of understanding its car and not only that. The fight for the top spot of the midfield could go to Alfa Romeo with Valtteri Bottas precisely thinking about the weight and power of the PU. As long as the reliability problems are over and the Finnish driver would finally be able to take part in all the available sessions normally, Alfa Romeo have a strong chance for a good result in Baku. Alpine and Haas could also recur and offer something more interesting through the important qualities of efficiency that often put them at the top of speed chart.
In Baku more than anywhere else not only the great balance between mechanical options, drag and downforce will make the difference between winning or losing, but also the unexpected episodes that could appear at any moment and will have to be exploited by the teams.
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