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The first day of running at the 2024 F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying is done and dusted. The day ended with a Ferrari on top, but it's not as if the car did not have its moments.
The circuit offers intriguing challenges that include the cars having efficiency down the straights and at the same time being able to maneuver through the twisty bits. Charles Leclerc has been on pole position at the last three editions of this race. What can we expect from the F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying? Let's take a look.
#5 Alpines don't escape Q1
It's just one bad day after another for Alpine at the moment, as the French team has built a car that's just not good enough around Baku. The car just doesn't have the balance, and it doesn't have the grunt that is equivalent to success at the F1 Azerbaijan GP.
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It would be a major surprise if either of the two drivers made it out of Q1 in qualifying.
#4 Ollie Bearman makes it to Q3
It might be a tad early to say but Ollie Bearman might be the real deal at Haas and how he's fared against Nico Hulkenberg on the very first day of running is impressive.
Haas showed decent pace at the F1 Azerbaijan GP FP2 and Ollie is a good shout for making it to Q3 in that car.
#3 It's going to be a very close battle for the top 8
The one thing that stands out on Friday is that all of the top 4 teams are very close. They have differing strengths in some areas but ultimately, when the lap is done, it's very close between all of them.
That pattern is going to stick for the entire F1 Azerbaijan GP qualifying and it's going to be very close between all these teams.
#2 Max Verstappen secures a top five starting position
Max Verstappen looked somewhat content after Friday but it might still be a tad early to start celebrating at Red Bull. Saturday is also going to be crucial and while the foundation is strong, you can't count out the fact that the car has struggled in general over the aggressive kerbs this season and that has been an inherent weakness.
It won't be a surprise if Max Verstappen is right at the sharp end fighting for pole position of the F1 Azerbaijan GP but we're playing it safe with this one and expect a top five qualifying for the driver.
#1 Charles Leclerc secures pole position in the F1 Azerbaijan GP
Baku is a special track for Charles Leclerc and he seems to have a good rhythm around it more often than not. What we've seen on the first day is that things didn't go as smoothly as they should have. Having said that, the pace is there.
Leclerc topped FP2, albeit the time being set much later than general played a role. The Ferrari seems hooked up to the track and at the same time, Charles is notorious for bringing out his best around Baku.
It's not too bold a call to pick a driver for pole position who has already done the same at this track for the last three years but that's what we're going with here. Charles Leclerc is our pick for pole at the F1 Azerbaijan GP.
