CHARLES LECLERC has put his Monaco heartache behind him by claiming pole at the Azerbajan Grand Prix.
Lewis Hamilton will be on the front row of the grid with Max Verstappen third-fastest in qualifying.
Meanwhile, the Singapore Grand Prix has been AXED from the 2021 calendar due to Covid.
Get all the latest F1 updates from Baku here…
LAND BEFORE TIME
Lando Norris has been handed a three-place grid penalty for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
He will now start in ninth after being penalised for failing to pit when the red flag was shown.
Speaking before the decision was announced, Norris said: “I was in the middle, I was continuing my lap but then I didn’t really know at one point I could turn left or go right.
“I slowed down straight away, I don’t feel like I was doing anything wrong. And I was going at quite a high speed, going into that pit at that time.
“So I don’t know, I need to speak to the team, but I don’t think I’ve done anything wrong.”
TON OF PRAISE
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton is very pleased with the result at the final practice.
Hamilton took to Twitter after the race and praised his team for the overall effort.
The British star tweeted the following:
LECLERC REACTS
Ferrari star Charles Leclerc reacted to his second pole in a row.
Leclerc said: “It was quite a s*** lap I thought! There were like two or three corners where I did mistakes, but of course I had the big tow from Lewis in the last sector which helped me a little bit.
“But overall I think we would have been there or thereabouts for pole without the slipstream, so it’s a good day.
“I did not expect to be as competitive as we were today. I was improving again [before] the red flag but it’s like this, another pole, and I’m happy anyway”
GETTY IMAGES
HAMILTON REACTS
Mercedes star Lewis Hamilton is very pleased with today’s result.
Hamilton said: “We definitely weren’t expecting that and this is such a monumental result for us because we’ve been struggling like you couldn’t believe all weekend. You can see it.
“We kept our composure. We’ve continued to have difficult discussions in the background and challenging one another, and just never taking no for an answer. We’ve moved around, made so many changes, over these two days. Just chasing our tail and it’s been so difficult.
“But the work overnight and particularly between the sessions was amazing from the team and really proud of everyone for keeping positive. To be up there and so close to these guys is a great start.
“It has been the biggest challenge in a long time. It has been a bit of a disaster”
THE GRID FOR THE RACE
1 Leclerc; 2 Hamilton; 3 Verstappen; 4 Gasly; 5 Sainz; 6 Norris; 7 Perez; 8 Tsunoda; 9 Alonso; 10 Bottas
HUGE DRAMA – RED FLAG – SESSION STOPPED
Leclerc is on pole as Sainz and Tsunoda crash out on track.
It is Turn 15 again. Tsunoda loses it and then Sainz slams into the barriers
Wow. That’s the fourth red flag in qualifying.
Hamilton will line up in P2 and Verstappen in P3. Gasly in P4.
Wow. Incredible stuff.
STONKING LAP FROM GASLY
The Frenchman goes into the top four with a mega lap.
HAMILTON TAKES PROVISIONAL P2
Bottas punches the hole in the air, as Hamilton sits in the slipstream and gets on the front row.
His time is good enough for P2 behind Leclerc, who was 0.232 seconds quicker.
Five minutes to go.
FERRARI ARE FLYING
The two boys in red are blasting their way around the track as Leclerc and Sainz set the early pace.
Q3 IS GO – THE SHOOT OUT FOR TOP 10
Is this going to be a Red Bull lockout? Or can Hamilton fight back?
BIG BLOW FOR RICCIARDO
It is just not clicking for him at McLaren just yet. Surely his luck has to change soon.
RICCIARDO HAS CRASHED – RED FLAG – END OF Q2
The McLaren man has locked up and crashed into Turn Three. He is out of qualifying.
His accident means the session is red-flagged and means that Vettel and Ocon miss out on getting into Q3.
Russell, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Ocon and Vettel are out in Q2. Vettel extremely disappointed to miss out.
VERSTAPPEN LEADS PEREZ. HAMILTON IN P3
It looks as though Hamilton has discovered some performance in his Mercedes. Less so for Bottas, who is in P9.
FIVE MINUTES TO GO
Russell, Raikkonen, Ricciardo, Tsunoda and Ocon in the drop zone.
HERE IS THE INCIDENT INVOLVING NORRIS
BUSY TRACK – MISTAKES ARE COSTLY IN BAKU
We have had two red flags already. The record for qualifying is four. We are halfway there.
Q2 IS GO
Can Mercedes make it into the top 10? They should do, but accidents could pay their part.
Q1 IS DONE
Stroll, Giovinnazi, Mazepin, Schumacher and Latifi are out at the first hurdle.
Hamilton eventually tops the session, but it was a scrappy one. Norris also under investigation for missing the pitlane when the red flag was deployed.
IN THE DROP ZONE
Schumacher, Mazepin and Russell. Stroll and Giovinazzi are already out.
Four minutes to go.
RESTART AS Q1 IS GO AGAIN AFTER TWO RED FLAGS
Nine minutes to go of this session. The wind has picked up now and it is going to tough to get those quick laps in.
RED FLAG – ANTONIO GIOVINAZZI HAS CRASHED
The Alfa Romeo man is in the wall at Turn 15. This spot is catching lots of drivers out.
He is OUT of qualifying. The session is stopped again.
WE ARE QUALIFYING AGAIN
A busy track as drivers look not to get caught out by another red flag.
LANCE STROLL HAS A CRASH – RED FLAG
The Canadian hits the wall at turn 15. He went in too fast and he has broken his front right wheel.
He is out of qualifying. His Aston Martin is broken. It also means all the other drivers have to abort their flying laps.
Stroll apologises to his team over the radio and will start tomorrow’s race in last place.
GO GO GO. GREEN LIGHT FOR QUALIFYING FOR THE AZERBAIJAN GP
Will this be a Red Bull lock out? Or will Ferrari keep up their pace from Monaco?
Mercedes are on the back foot, it could be a tough session in Baku for Hamilton and Bottas.
Expect plenty of drama and yellow flags, this is going to be a busy qualifying session.
TOTO WOLFF LASHES OUT AT CHRISTIAN HORNER
The Mercedes boss is feeling the heat and blasted the Red Bull man after Horner said Wolff should “keep his mouth shut” over the flexi-wing row.
Wolff has responded saying: “Christian is a bit of a windbag who wants to be on camera.
“It is easy to be punchy when you are on top of the timesheets but you should be a little bit more modest.”
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
