2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, Sep 19-21

[Mattchu]

2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix - Baku, Sep 19-21



Tyre selection
C4 - C5 - C6

Qualy:

Race:

[dren]

Max should be strong once again.

[venkyhere]

This should again (like last weekend) be a fight between both Mclarens, Leclerc and Max. If Russel manages to squeeze in too, will be more interesting. For quali, that is. In the race, where tyre life is actually going to matter (unlike Monza) , I wonder whether a non-McLaren even stands a chance.

[CjC]

This should again (like last weekend) be a fight between both Mclarens, Leclerc and Max. If Russel manages to squeeze in too, will be more interesting. For quali, that is. In the race, where tyre life is actually going to matter (unlike Monza) , I wonder whether a non-McLaren even stands a chance.

Will there be much tyre wear though? Yes more than in Monza but Baku was an easy one stop last season wasn’t it?

[CjC]

Max should be strong once again.

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

[dren]

Aren't safety cars pretty likely here?

[pantherxxx]

Verstappen will win. Mark my words.

[ali623]

Max should be strong once again.

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

Leclerc will be on pole, he won't win, but he'll get pole here again.

[venkyhere]

This should again (like last weekend) be a fight between both Mclarens, Leclerc and Max. If Russel manages to squeeze in too, will be more interesting. For quali, that is. In the race, where tyre life is actually going to matter (unlike Monza) , I wonder whether a non-McLaren even stands a chance.

Will there be much tyre wear though? Yes more than in Monza but Baku was an easy one stop last season wasn’t it?

WIll of course depend on the temperatures on the day, but generally graining is expected more than deg (no long duration corners, but lots of rear sliding in 90 degree bends) and McLaren have much better mechanical grip than any other car on the grid. I expect McLaren to do well in Q and R and Ferrari to do well in Q, because my inference is that both those cars have shorter gearing in the lower gears & hence much better traction out of slow/low-gear corners.

Edit/update : just came to know that this year the tyre compounds are one step softer - C6, C5, C4

[r85]

Max should be strong once again.

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

Leclerc will be on pole, he won't win, but he'll get pole here again.

I can see him getting a Top 4 but seeing how understeery the SF-25 is at times, I doubt he'll drag that car to pole.

[AR3-GP]

Max should be strong once again.

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

Only 1 team has earned the right to be a called a favorite before a single lap has been run. That is Mclaren. Mclaren won 12 of 16 races. Mclaren won Baku last year. Mclaren are the favorites for pole and the win.

[CjC]

Max should be strong once again.

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

Only 1 team has earned the right to be a called a favorite before a single lap has been run. That is Mclaren. Mclaren won 12 of 16 races. Mclaren won Baku last year. Mclaren are the favorites for pole and the win.

Absolutely.
However I have a feeling after reading an article today that Red Bull will be running a lower DF wing this weekend, there is no denying that in Max’s hands they are very strong with that wing level. The consensus in the paddock is that Red Bull is the strongest package at low DF levels too.
Looking back at the season the evidence suggests so to: Saudi, Imola, the pole at Silverstone, the sprint pole and win at Spa and the pole and win in Monza.

That’s why I’m confident he’ll be on pole and if he leads after the first lap- he’ll win the race.

[CjC]

This should again (like last weekend) be a fight between both Mclarens, Leclerc and Max. If Russel manages to squeeze in too, will be more interesting. For quali, that is. In the race, where tyre life is actually going to matter (unlike Monza) , I wonder whether a non-McLaren even stands a chance.

Will there be much tyre wear though? Yes more than in Monza but Baku was an easy one stop last season wasn’t it?

WIll of course depend on the temperatures on the day, but generally graining is expected more than deg (no long duration corners, but lots of rear sliding in 90 degree bends) and McLaren have much better mechanical grip than any other car on the grid. I expect McLaren to do well in Q and R and Ferrari to do well in Q, because my inference is that both those cars have shorter gearing in the lower gears & hence much better traction out of slow/low-gear corners.

Edit/update : just came to know that this year the tyre compounds are one step softer - C6, C5, C4

I did wonder about the tyres, going softer in theory should suit McLaren.
The forecasted temperatures are ‘low’ though.
Are the majority of the corners medium speed as apposed to slow speed?

[venkyhere]

Will there be much tyre wear though? Yes more than in Monza but Baku was an easy one stop last season wasn’t it?

WIll of course depend on the temperatures on the day, but generally graining is expected more than deg (no long duration corners, but lots of rear sliding in 90 degree bends) and McLaren have much better mechanical grip than any other car on the grid. I expect McLaren to do well in Q and R and Ferrari to do well in Q, because my inference is that both those cars have shorter gearing in the lower gears & hence much better traction out of slow/low-gear corners.

Edit/update : just came to know that this year the tyre compounds are one step softer - C6, C5, C4

I did wonder about the tyres, going softer in theory should suit McLaren.
The forecasted temperatures are ‘low’ though.
Are the majority of the corners medium speed as apposed to slow speed?

There are no long corners or fast sweepers => not much energy goes through front tyres.
However, lots of slow corners after hard braking events => braking/acceleration with steering angle (pedal overlap as well) is going to be plenty.
Morover, except one/two, rest of the corners are all 90 degree turns, with no run off => large slip angle on rear tyres, plus acceleration in lower gears.
All put together, if there was a 'classic' rear limited track, this is it.

[WardenOfTheNorth]

I’m fairly confident he’ll be on pole

Only 1 team has earned the right to be a called a favorite before a single lap has been run. That is Mclaren. Mclaren won 12 of 16 races. Mclaren won Baku last year. Mclaren are the favorites for pole and the win.

Absolutely.
However I have a feeling after reading an article today that Red Bull will be running a lower DF wing this weekend, there is no denying that in Max’s hands they are very strong with that wing level. The consensus in the paddock is that Red Bull is the strongest package at low DF levels too.
Looking back at the season the evidence suggests so to: Saudi, Imola, the pole at Silverstone, the sprint pole and win at Spa and the pole and win in Monza.

That’s why I’m confident he’ll be on pole and if he leads after the first lap- he’ll win the race.

Notwithstanding a Safety Car anyway.