The Formula One circus is back in town this weekend after a four-week absence.
Drivers, teams and fans will descend on Baku for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday.
Plenty has been happening in the wild and wacky world of F1 recently, with rumours about Fernando Alonso’s dating life, a startling admission from reigning world champion Max Verstappen, and Charles Leclerc’s comments on his future.
Supporters will be desperate to see the show get on the road again in Eastern Europe, particularly given the new sprint race format and the dramatic crash in practice.
And below, Mail Sport looks at seven things to look out for in Baku ahead of the action.
The Formula One circus is back in town in Azerbaijan this weekend after a four-week absence
All eyes are on what will happen after a chaotic and controversial end to the Australian GP
Lewis Hamilton will be hoping he can capitalise on his strong form from the race in Melbourne
Can Lewis finally end up victorious again?
It feels like an age since the drama of the Australia GP in Melbourne. In that race, Lewis Hamilton, who like team-mate George Russell has struggled since the start of last season in a faltering Mercedes car, came an extremely creditable second.
That result was pretty much the best he could have hoped for given how much quicker Verstappen’s Red Bull is.
And the 18 points he secured were enough to put him fourth in the drivers’ championship standings, only behind Verstappen, Max’s fellow Red Bull star Sergio Perez and Fernardo Alonso.
Outspoken Spaniard Alonso said in an interview that Hamilton was ‘lucky’ to have a dominant car for so many of his world titles, and though he conceded the Brit is ‘one of the best in history’, it will surely serve as motivation for Lewis.
And the 38-year-old will be looking to build on Mercedes’ surprise return to form Down Under, with a win in Baku unlikely but not impossible. His first win in 17 months would be a big statement – but as we can see from his pre-race outfit, he’s certainly not incapable of that…
More long-term, the major team reshuffle bringing back James Allison as technical director could persuade him to sign a new long-term deal.
Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton will be looking to make a statement with his first win in 17 months
Max looks to put lifestyle frustration behind him
He’s certainly not one to hold his tongue when he has a grievance, is he, our Max?
Two-time world champ Verstappen raised eyebrows this week when he admitted he may quit F1 completely in five years when his Red Bull contract expires.
The moany Dutchman has recently criticised the increased sprint races and said: ‘If we keep expanding the calendar and the whole weekend is that long, at one point you question yourself ‘is it worth it?”
‘I do like racing, I do like winning. I know that of course the salary and everything, you have a good life, but is it actually a good life?’. Ralf Schumacher had a word or two to say about that stance.
Verstappen will hope to make his life slightly better with another win in Baku on Sunday, to help celebrate Red Bull chief Helmut Marko’s 80th birthday.
Watching his mood around the paddock and on the team radio during the race could be very interesting.
Red Bull’s Max Verstappen will be aiming to put frustrations about the F1 lifestyle behind him
Leclerc looking to impress amid Mercedes links
With veteran Hamilton likely coming to the end of his career, though not imminently, many have speculated on who could be the one to partner up with young talent George Russell at Mercedes.
McLaren’s Lando Norris? Would they make a sensational move for Alonso? Another promising youngster? Well, Ferrari star Charles Leclerc gave us an answer of sorts on his future this week.
The gifted Monegasque is widely seen as having overperformed in an ailing Scuderia team, and though not without mistakes, has been hamstrung by awful strategy calls and sheer bad luck on many occasions, while Hamilton’s deal is up for renewal at the end of the season and negotiations are slow going.
On Thursday, Leclerc refused to rule out a move across the grid to Mercedes, addressing reports he is being lined up to replace Hamilton – though he has denied speaking to Toto Wolff’s team.
He said: ‘No, there have not been any conversations, not yet, not for the moment. For now, I am fully focussed on the project I am in today and that is Ferrari.
‘I fully trust, I am confident, and for the future we will see, but I am fully confident of the Ferrari project.’ Not exactly massively convincing.
Either way, he will want to impress on track in Baku and is well in line for a podium slot if he performs.
Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc (pictured) will be hoping to impress amid links to Mercedes
A new sprint race format
Despite vociferous criticisms from the likes of Verstappen, a new format for sprint races in coming in starting this weekend in Baku. It was agreed unanimously at an F1 Commission meeting on Tuesday, before being confirmed by the FIA.
The ‘sprint’, a more quick-fire race on Saturday, is now independent from Sunday’s race, with its own qualifying session, known as a ‘sprint shootout’.
Qualifying for the main GP on Sunday will be carried out on Friday instead.
The hope is that it will encourage drivers to take more risks, resulting in more entertainment, with drivers previously unwilling to really go for it in the sprint because the result heavily affected the grid for the Sunday race.
However, the points rewards for the sprint (eight for first down to one for eighth) are much lower than for the actual grand prix, so that still may not be enough to incite drivers to take more risks and inject more jeopardy for fans.
We’ll find out soon enough.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem (right) has had to defend the new sprint race format
Alonso aiming to continue Aston Martin revival
It’s been a busy week for Fernando Alonso – and not just on track!
Earlier this week, enigmatic 41-year-old Alonso poured fuel on rumours he is dating American pop superstar Taylor Swift, posting a hilarious video featuring the recently single music icon.
But on Friday, when asked about it, he gave a sharp 16-word response, telling Marca: ‘I usually keep my personal and professional life apart. I prefer not to comment on it.’ That told them!
Alonso has finished third in all three races so far this term, and is only behind Red Bull pair Verstappen and Perez in the standings, ahead of the likes of Hamilton, Russell and Leclerc.
His performances have far outweighed expectations in the surprisingly competitive Aston Martin car – ironically, based on the struggling Mercedes vehicle – and another podium would be a brilliant return for him.
Maybe keep an eye out for Swift in the stands or on social media expressing her support…
Fernando Alonso (centre) could continue his revival at 2023’s surprise package Aston Martin
Eyes on stewards after bizarre ending
You may have forgotten the farcical denouement in Melbourne given that so much has happened in the sport since then.
But it was absurd. Verstappen eventually triumphed in a chaotic, contentious ending to the race, with Alonso finishing third despite spinning at a restart with two laps remaining.
FIA rules decided finishing positions should be taken from the last restart, with cars ending the race uncompetitively under the safety car.
Despite the spin ‘not counting’ towards the result, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was then given a penalty for causing the collision, dropping from fourth to 12th after being handed a five-second penalty.
Spaniard Sainz angrily called it ‘unacceptable’, adding: ‘They need to wait until after the race and discuss with me. Clearly the penalty is not deserved. It is too severe.’ Many had sympathy with him.
And Alpine pair Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon, who began the penultimate restart fifth and 10th, crashed into each other and both left the race at the second corner.
There are now plenty of accusations the sport’s rulemakers are putting entertainment above fairness. That will sound familiar to Lewis Hamilton! All eyes will be on the officials this weekend to see how they handle any controversies.
Alpine crash out of practice
And speaking of Alpine, it was not an ideal practice session for the two Frenchmen Gasly and Ocon.
During the practice laps, flames and smoke started to come out of the back of Gasly’s car and he had to pull over, while the red flag was immediately brought out to stop the session.
The incident happened around 15 minutes into practice, and the response from the stewards was swift as they quickly arrived on the scene with fire extinguishers to put out the flames.
Gasly was able to walk away to safety, but appeared frustrated as his session was brought to an abrupt halt on a weekend where there is limited practice running due to the new sprint race format.
After clearing the track and ensuring Gasly had got himself to safety, the practice session was allowed to resume.
Gasly has picked up four points from the opening three races of the season having secured back-to-back ninth-place finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, but has endured a nightmare start to his weekend in Baku.
He’ll be hoping for better luck on Saturday and Sunday, and that things get sorted out after their unfortunate ending in Melbourne.
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