An exclusive preview of F1 in Baku this weekend: from Ferrari to McLaren, Mercedes and Williams developments, Bearman’s debut, and much more.
Finally, the time has come. Tomorrow marks the official opening day of the Azerbaijan GP, the seventeenth race of the 2024 championship. The drivers’ and constructors’ championships remain wide open, and this could be a turning point, especially in the battle between Red Bull and McLaren. McLaren is now just 8 points behind the Austrian team, and Stella and his crew could push Woking to the top of the standings for the first time in 10 years, since the 2014 Australian GP (a short-lived joy, as Mercedes dominated that season).
While McLaren and Red Bull are in a fierce battle, keep an eye on Ferrari, the Dark Horse. They staged an incredible comeback at Monza, with an updated package that seems to have solved issues with the floor, bouncing, and tire degradation. Ferrari excelled in tire management at the last race, delivering a remarkable win for Leclerc and a strong fourth place (nearly podium) for Carlos Sainz. In Baku, as in Singapore, tire management will be crucial, and Ferrari could capitalize on this, especially if rivals like Mercedes and Red Bull struggle in this area.
And then there’s Mercedes: Toto Wolff’s team seems to have lost the edge they had found just before the break, underperforming, particularly on race day. Wolff’s crew is expected to introduce important updates, most likely to the rear wing, as hinted by Mercedes’ technical director, Shovlin. Similarly, Williams (another Mercedes-powered team) is preparing for what could be their final development package of 2024. Albon and Colapinto hinted at major updates to the car, including a new floor for Racing Bulls, a team in dire straits after a series of poor performances.
Baku Updates: The new DRS and the weather
The Baku City Circuit has always delivered thrilling races and unpredictable events since it debuted as the European GP in 2016. However, the DRS zone has been a hot topic. Despite the track’s long straight, F1 has introduced a key change to the DRS activation zone. The detection point has been moved forward by 100 meters compared to 2023, now sitting just 347 meters from the end of Turn 20, the final corner before the long straight that leads to the finish line.
Following a thrilling race in Monza, F1 will revert to the DRS setup used prior to 2023, after last year’s shortening of the DRS zone. Domenicali and his team are aiming for more overtakes, and they have big plans for the much-anticipated 2026 season. One of the biggest changes for Baku will be in the Haas lineup: Kevin Magnussen, after his penalty at Monza, has been suspended for one race after reaching the maximum penalty points on his license. Stepping in is Ollie Bearman, who will race his second F1 GP of the year, after his outstanding performance at Jeddah for Ferrari.
Bearman will team up with Nico Hulkenberg at Haas. As for the weather, there are no major concerns, with forecasted temperatures around 25°C, sunny on Friday and Saturday, with some clouds on Sunday. It’s set to be an exciting weekend, starting with the first practice session at 11:30 AM tomorrow.
Photo: F1, Oracle Red Bull Racing
