2023 F1 Azerbaijan GP Sprint report: Top 5 key takeaways

Sergio Perez won the 2023 Azerbaijan GP sprint in dominant fashion, but what was somewhat disappointing was the action (or lack of it) behind him. Other than the post-race drama between Max Verstappen and George Russell, or the soft tyre-fitted cars, there wasn't much to talk about.

Nevertheless, there are a few things that did become clear as the 17-lap sprint drew to a close. After two days of intense action, we wait for the main 'Grand Prix' on Sunday. As we head to the 2023 Azerbaijan GP, what are some of the key takeaways from the sprint? Well, let's take a look.

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2023 F1 Azerbaijan GP sprint: What did we learn?

#1 George Russell is the real deal

The second season for George Russell at Mercedes has been the one where he has become more feisty. He's starting to impose himself a bit more on the team and has started to put things together. So much so that after a race, we're talking about him and not his teammate who is, well, a seven-time world champion.

Russell's move on Max Verstappen was a bit harsh, but it was something the Red Bull driver should not have got involved in. Russell knows he has a slower car, and his elbows are as wide as they could be. What helps Russell is also the fact that he continues to be the faster Mercedes driver. And yes, this is despite having a certain Lewis Hamilton in the other car.

#2 Max Verstappen needs to look back at how Lewis Hamilton managed his dominance

Max Verstappen is in a very interesting situation right now where he has such a strong car that he can afford to be a bit conservative at the start. However, a born racer that Verstappen is, this caution does not come naturally to him. He still continues to do battle in wheel-to-wheel combats.

Was Russell squeezing him a bit too much? Probably yes. The big hole in Verstappen's engine cover is proof of that. However, Verstappen did not need to hang it around the outside and risk it either. All that he needs to do is look back at how Hamilton managed things when he had a dominant car.

Verstappen has taken Hamilton's cue in a lot of things, so taking one in how to manage racing a slower could prove helpful.

#3 Ferrari and Charles Leclerc don't have a shot at winning 2023 Azerbaijan GP

While Charles Leclerc continues to dream of a 2023 Azerbaijan GP win, the sprint proved that it's highly unlikely. Ferrari do not have the pace to challenge Red Bull in any way, so the best Leclerc could hope for is a slot behind Verstappen and Perez.

Nevertheless, even that might be tough if we take a look at the tyre degradation suffered by Leclerc. By the end of that medium tyre stint, Russell was eating up the gap on the Ferrari driver and in the race, the Monagesque would have been a sitting duck.

While conditions will change a bit for the 2023 Azerbaijan GP, it's tough to see Leclerc winning the race, let alone challenging the two Red Bull drivers.

#4 Williams are a legitimate points contender

What Alex Albon showed during the 17 sprint laps was a surprise ability to stay in the fight for points against contenders like McLaren. With Alpine out of the picture due to self-inflicted issues, Williams only have to ideally contend with McLaren for points-paying position.

With the kind of straight-line speed Williams enjoy, they're a legitimate contender for points at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP.

#5 100m reduction in DRS zone could prevent overtakes

The DRS zone on the main straight was reduced by 100m to prevent overtakes from being far too easy.

On the contrary, looking at how the sprint panned out, it does appear that the zone has been shortened a bit too much. While it's going to be quite easy for a Red Bull to overtake virtually anyone at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP, it's going to be tough for any other team to make that happen.

There were quite a few DRS trains in the sprint, so it won't be a surprise if that happens at the 2023 Azerbaijan GP, too. The shortened DRS might come back to bite decision-makers, as it doesn't appear to be the wisest of decisions.