A huge week in Formula 1 continues on Sunday, as the streets of Baku host the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It is the first of two consecutive street races in F1, and the attention will be back on track this weekend after Adrian Newey formally announced his move to Aston Martin from Red Bull at the end of this season.
But, can Newey’s current team bounce back to winning ways at the Baku City Circuit?
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Track Information & Records
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is typically one of the most exciting street races of the season in Formula 1, with the field completing 51 laps of the 6km Baku City Circuit to make up the 306.049 km race distance.
It has been held on the F1 schedule since 2016, with drivers needing to navigate 20 corners. There are also two DRS zones to help with overtaking. Charles Leclerc holds the lap record, while Sergio Perez has won two of the last three editions.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Odds
There is a fascinating feel to the betting this weekend, with reigning world champion Max Verstappen among the outsiders at 19/3. That is the biggest price that BetXchange have offered on a win for the Dutchman in a race this season.
Lando Norris is the market leader at 5/4, with teammate Oscar Piastri priced up at 19/4. Charles Leclerc is 5/1 to record a third win of the season, while Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton could be interesting selections at 19/2 and 13/1, respectively.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Preview
Formula 1 has come alive in recent months, with intriguing battles in the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships taking shape as we approach the 18th stop on the schedule. Max Verstappen still leads the Drivers’ standings with a 62-point advantage over Norris, but the Brit has finished ahead of his rival in three of the last four races. However, his third-place finish in the Italian Grand Prix could be costly in his hunt for a maiden title.
Despite that, there was reason to celebrate for McLaren, with Piastri finishing second, which enabled the team to close the gap on Red Bull to eight points in the Constructors’ standings. Ferrari could also trouble the reigning champions in the standings after showing excellent race pace in Italy last weekend, as Leclerc landed a second win of the season.
Mercedes don’t appear to have the pace to fight for the win this weekend, but Lewis Hamilton did comfortably have Verstappen behind him at the Italian Grand Prix, with George Russell coming home in seventh. Therefore, it wouldn’t be unfair to suggest that the battle for the race win could be between McLaren and Ferrari this weekend.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix Prediction
McLaren’s inability to favour Norris in his championship race against Verstappen is costing the Brit, and that makes this a huge weekend for the challenger. However, the resurgence of Ferrari in recent weeks looks solid on paper, and Leclerc could be a solid selection to land a second victory on a street circuit in Baku on Sunday.
Pick: Charles Leclerc at 5/1 with Betxchange.
