Lando Norris’ title hopes were dealt a huge blow after he suffered a shock elimination from the first part of qualifying on Saturday as Charles Leclerc took pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for the fourth year in a row.
The British driver arrived in the Land of Fire bidding to turn up the heat on championship leader Max Verstappen, having taken 16 points out of the three-time world champion’s title lead across the last two races.
But the 24-year-old said he was caught out by yellow flags down the long final straight, backing off and unable to improve his time, meaning he will start Sunday’s race from 15th on the grid.
Verstappen, who leads the drivers’ championship by 62 points with eight races remaining, was not imperious, managing only sixth on the grid as Norris’ team-mate Oscar Piastri claimed second ahead of Carlos Sainz and the second Red Bull of Sergio Perez.
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F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc pits! (Lap 17/51)
Leclerc heads in with a comfortable six-second lead and comes out in second, behind new race leader Carlos Sainz!
Alex Albon is just behind Leclerc in third but of course hasn’t pitted!
4-10: Piastri, Perez, Norris (hasn’t pitted), Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Gasly (hasn’t pitted)
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:35
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 16/51)
Piastri heads in and comes out JUST ahead of Sergio Perez into turn two!
But Piastri will have cold tyres… can he hold off the rapid Red Bull?! Norris did his bit there, holding up Perez, but the Mexican blasted past down the main straight.
Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda is the first driver to retire after a collision with Stroll on lap one – a huge hole in the sidepod of his RB!
1-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Albon, Piastri, Perez, Norris, Verstappen, Russell, Gasly, Alonso
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:34
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Sergio Perez pits (Lap 15/51)
The Red Bull goes in and is now in sixth – will he undercut Piastri, who has not headed in?!
Norris is now holding up Perez – that’s not the team orders we were expecting ahead of this weekend!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:32
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen pits (Lap 13/51)
Verstappen goes in – 3.1 seconds – and drops to ninth!
Lewis Hamilton also heads in and therefore drops to 18th!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:31
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen not happy (Lap 11/51)
“I have a zero bite in the car,” says Verstappen, in P5, three seconds off Carlos Sainz ahead of him.
Leclerc is now three seconds clear of Piastri at the front.
Franco Colapinto the first of the top-10 to pit onto hard tyres, and drops to 15th!
The race just settling into a bit of rhythm now… when will the frontrunners make their move in the pits?!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:24
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: George Russell on team radio (Lap 9/51)
“I think a plastic bag just went in the airbox.”
That would not be ideal for Russell, currently running in P6.
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:20
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris up to P10! (Lap 8/51)
Superior speed for the McLaren and Norris takes 10th place from Ollie Bearman to get up to the points!
Up next… Alex Albon for Williams, four seconds down the road!
Meanwhile, Piastri is 2.3 seconds behind Leclerc now and is told “Plan B.”
1-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon, Norris
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:19
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Yuki Tsunoda has an issue! (Lap 5/51)
The RB is falling back and is now in 16th – behind Lewis Hamilton who’s up to 15th!
At the front, Leclerc has now just got outside the DRS window as he looks to stretch his lead to Piastri behind.
Lance Stroll, meanwhile, has a puncture and has pitted – he’s down to 20th!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:13
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri has DRS on Leclerc! (Lap 3/51)
Leclerc has not stretched his lead to over one second and Piastri has DRS on the main straight, keeping the Ferrari in his vision!
Further back, Norris is up to 11th after overtaking Yuki Tsunoda at turn two… Ollie Bearman up next!
1-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon, Bearman
Lewis Hamilton, starting in the pit-lane, is in 16th in no time!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:10
F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc keeps the lead!
Leclerc gets off the line well at lights out!
He keeps first place, with Piastri in second – but Sergio Perez gets the jump on Carlos Sainz and takes third place at turn 2!
Max Verstappen has got ahead of George Russell too, up to P5!
Lando Norris has made two places up, he’s in P13!
Kieran Jackson15 September 2024 12:06