The fourth race of F1 2019 season takes place in Azerbaijan in the capital, Baku.
By the time the chequered flag had come down in China, Ferrari were a whopping 57 points behind Mercedes in the Constructors and had both drivers trail Max Verstappen in the driver standings, which means that the Maranello team need a strong result if they wish to challenge for both championships this season. If Ferrari could choose which track to do this at, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix would be pretty low down on the list. The 6km circuit, the second longest on the race calendar, is also one of the trickiest and unpredictable.
Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Mattia Binotto previews the next race: “Coming off the back of three races that definitely didn’t go the way we wanted, this GP is another important moment for us. We have prepared for it very well, analysing all the data we have acquired up until now, looking at areas where we can improve and working on adapting the car’s set-up and the power unit management to the characteristics of the track. In fact, Baku features a very long straight, which places special demands on the engine, both the internal combustion part as well as the hybrid elements. It’s relatively easy to overtake on this track, partly due to the DRS, especially this year as it has a greater effect than in the past. The track surface is very smooth, which means tyre wear is generally low, but as the tyres therefore generate less energy, it can be difficult to get them in the right working temperature range. We know from past experience that there’s a high probability of the Safety Car appearing on track in Baku and therefore it’s an important aspect to consider when looking at the race strategy. We are bringing a few updates to Baku, as the first step in the development of the SF90.” – Mattia Binotto explained.
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