The Spaniard finishes sixth, just behind Carlos Sainz, in a race that is too short, lacking in emotion
Sprint racing promises entertainment, concentrated spectacle, what young people want now, Tik Tok and such, but in reality they almost always disappoint. It happened this Saturday again in Bak. In a season of passion, with a multitude of actions, so many that the eyes cannot reach, the sprint test of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was barely a 10-lap practice session; the pilots risked just enough. There were three overtaking, the three decisive and that’s it.
One of them, as usual, starred him Fernando Alonso. Weighed down by his problems with the DRS in qualifying, from eighth on the grid he got rid of Alex Albón at the start and up to his final position, sixth place, he could only offer another attack. Of a total of 17 laps, the safety car went through the circuit from the second to the sixth, and as soon as Alonso moved away he went for Lewis Hamilton. In an instant he was left behind. After three consecutive podium finishes, the position may seem disappointing, but between the characteristics of the Azerbaijan track and the mechanical mishaps of the Aston Martin, sixth is a good consolation. This Sunday in the classic race (1:00 p.m.) you will be able to opt for more if your rivals suffer from the degradation of the tires or simply if there is movement.
Because he hardly gave time for anything. From the pole, charles leclerc held first position until ‘Czech’ Prez he took the slipstream and got rid of him. The victory of the Mexican does not mean much in the World Cup -sprint races distribute very few points-, but he confirms his favoritism for this Sunday’s test and puts pressure on max verstappen.
More so when the Dutchman has proven uncomfortable on the Azerbaijani urban layout. This Saturday, for the first time this season, the current champion failed, made a mistake at the start and George Russell He went for his exterior. It was nice, it was dangerous. The two almost ended up against the wall and, in fact, the touch made part of the Red Bull’s chassis jump. Despite this, Verstappen was able to wrest third place from Russell with the disappearance of the safety car and barely conceded a lead in the championship.
As it happened other times, no one will remember what happened this Saturday. Sprint races seek to be a summary of highlights, all the excitement of Formula 1 in just half an hour, but they do not achieve their goal. In an exciting year, especially for the Spanish public, the Bak sprint test did not get anyone off the couch, quite the contrary.
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