Charles Leclerc loves the track in Baku. © APA/afp / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA

Leclerc shines again, World Championship leaders slip up

On the day of the weakening World Championship rivals, Charles Leclerc once again shines in a Formula 1 qualification in the narrow streets of Baku.

September 14, 2024

From: dpa

For the fourth time in a row, the Monegasque driver raced to pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in his Ferrari. Almost two weeks after his triumph in front of the Tifosi at his home race in Monza, hopes for the next victory are high, as Carlos Sainz in the second Ferrari is lining up behind second-placed Oscar Piastri in his McLaren.

"That's almost the best we could have hoped for. One and three - that's where you want to be as a team, we have a good chance of winning there," said Leclerc, also looking at the dirtier side of the track with the even starting numbers. For the 26-year-old, it is the 26th pole of his career. Leclerc had a lead of over three tenths of a second over Piastri, who was announced this week as teammate Lando Norris's World Championship assistant.

Oscar Piastri, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz took the top spots. © APA/afp / NATALIA KOLESNIKOVA

The fact that Norris had already gotten out of his car a long time ago also gave Red Bull a slight sigh of relief. The Briton did not manage to finish higher than 17th. "It is somewhat reassuring for the World Championship," said Red Bull's motorsport advisor Helmut Marko on the pay-TV channel Sky.

“We have found speed” Helmut Marko, Red Bull

Its star driver Max Verstappen only managed sixth place after one of his rare mistakes, two places behind his team-mate Sergio Pérez, who had been beaten more or less clearly up to that point. "The positive thing is that we have found speed," stressed Marko.

It remains to be seen whether this will pay off in the race. The Dutch three-time world champion has a 62-point lead over Norris. In the team classification, however, Red Bull is only eight points ahead of McLaren. Given the risk factor in Azerbaijan, however, the field could be thrown into disarray.