F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: 5 most consistent driver performances at Baku

One of 2019's most interesting and hopefully intriguing contests is here. Going by the sheer thrill that the enigmatic street circuit has provided in the past, the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is expected to be a bestseller.

But will it? One reckons there's little doubt about Round 4 of the 2019 season since where 2016, 2017, and 2018 races stand, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has unfurled a rip-roaring contest aced by some of the most noted names on the grid.

First held in 2016, a year where Nico Rosberg became world champion, the European Grand Prix (Azerbaijan, Baku) was interestingly clinched by the German driver, then with Mercedes.

Since then, one has gone on to witness an interesting run of events in the next couple of editions, aced by former Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo and current defending champion, Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes.

So how about a quick run at some of the most consistent drivers at F1 Baku whilst we anticipate what 2019 holds for us?

Sergio Perez: P3 in 2016, DNF in 2017, P3 in 2018

Sergio Perez, currently driving for Racing Point happens to be one of the most consistent drivers at the street circuit.

In the past three editions, the famous Mexican driver, someone who's yet to win here at his home Grand Prix event (Mexico city) has twice landed on the podium.

To that end, it's worthwhile to mention that in scoring one of Force India's most famous results ever, it was Sergio Perez who stood third in the 2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, a race clinched by Mercedes' Hamilton, also 2018's crown-wearer.

While Perez would begin the 2018 contest from eighth on the grid, stacking his Force India-Mercedes right behind then-teammate Esteban Ocon, he'd register a fantastic drive, battling with the Saubers, Williams, and McLarens to take the third step of the podium.

However, in the qualifying for 2016, Perez would demonstrate perhaps one of his finest-ever races in putting his Force India-Mercedes on second, right behind Nico Rosberg's Mercedes. Later, he'd battle the Ferrari of Vettel to score a memorable third.

Sebastian Vettel: P2 in 2016, P4 in 2017, 2 pole-positions, 1 lap record

Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix - Qualifying for F1 Baku

Sebastian Vettel is yet to win the Azerbaijan GP. But interestingly, he's already collected a memorable stack of performances in the spine-bending 51-lap contest.

So what are these feats? Back in 2016, Baku, home to the European Grand Prix unfurled a stellar first-ever race that saw Nico Rosberg take the checkered flag. But even as he beat Vettel comprehensively, by a margin as enormous as 16 points, the German driver drove home 18 valuable points thanks to a fighting second.

Interestingly, Vettel had begun the race from fourth on the grid. And in clinching his P2 that year, he'd finish 16-seconds ahead of Perez, then in a Force India-Mercedes.

Moreover, Vettel's 2017 race, a feisty one - given his very evident temperamental outburst on the radio on Hamilton ('he brake-tested me') - saw him set the fastest lap ever recorded in the history of the race at Baku.

On Lap 47, with just 4 more to go, the Ferrari driver set a blistering 1:43:441, something that's not been bettered yet. Can 2019 unfold some drama?

Daniel Ricciardo: P7 in '16, win in 2018, DNF in 2018, but P4 in Quali

Not for nothing is Daniel Ricciardo so revered in Formula 1. He might be struggling a bit in Renault, his new racing team, but he remains one of the fastest men on the grid.

For a driver who's already managed 7 wins and 29 podiums having debuted in 2011, Ricciardo is tipped for winning F1 world championships.

And proving just that in 2017, Daniel recorded one of his most exquisite victories ever. The Australian driver began from tenth on the grid and as a result of some incidents early on had to pit early to clear off the debris on his tyres.

But throughout the contest, one ignited by a very vocal Ferrari versus Mercedes rabble, not too subtle on the team radio, Ricciardo, who was the faster of the two Red Bulls collected the checkered flag but not before making some swift moves in the rise to the front of the grid.

While he'd come to blows with his former teammate at Red Bull in 2018's contest (lap 40 incident), the 'honeybadger' would manage to pass his Dutch teammate twice on the grid before their eerie collision.

Also Read: 5 Early Predictions for Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Lewis Hamilton: P5 in '16 having begun tenth, P5 in 2017, Winner in 2018

Lewis Hamilton continues to be one of the most intriguing characters of Formula 1. For someone who's made winning a literal habit, as seen in the form of his repetitive successes at tracks such as Silvertone, Spa-Francorchamps, Suzuka, Monza, victory came to greet the five-time world champion in the F1 Baku of 2018.

While he never seemed slated to win, in grabbing his eventual victory (a fortunate one at that), Lewis, who inherited the race lead thanks to Vettel locking up majorly (upon the restart thanks to heavy braking), kept up the pace and the ante of the contest with only a few laps to go last year.

As the 2018 world champion thanked his team upon winning a memorable contest, he also reminded one of his prowess at a track where he's previously finished consistently in the top-five starting 2016.

Valtteri Bottas: P6 in '16, P2 in '17, P3 in 2018-Quali, fastest lap in 201

Clearly the unluckiest driver of 2018, it had to be said, Valtteri Bottas didn't particularly enjoy a great 2018 race at Baku.

In fact, all throughout the year, if one were to find a sorry figure on the grid, then perhaps looking at Bottas - who endured a winless run last year- would provide sufficient evidence.

But out here at Baku in 2018, things appeared rather bright for the Finnish driver who seemed destined to win with under 10 laps to go.

This is when the entire narrative of the race would turn on its head.

On Lap 43, Bottas, who was leading the grid had no idea what was to come when Grosjean crashed under the safety car. This meant that with 8 laps to go, the Finn had to race and race hard to keep his position.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it was anything but that in the end. As the cars took off, Bottas ran over some debris from a previous collision managing to sustain a rear puncture. This would end his 2018 contest at Baku. Yet, a few laps before, the Finn, who seemed set to win his first-ever contest at Azerbaijan set the fastest lap of the race in the form of a 1:45:149.

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Edited by Debjyoti Samanta