Preview
Baku Preview: Running the streets
Ayumu Iwasa and DAMS staked their claim in the 2023 title battle, but the fight is only just beginning as Formula 2 returns to the historic streets of Baku for the fourth round of the season. Racing right in the heart of Azerbaijan's capital city, the tight, technical, and ultra-quick circuit should provide yet another unforgiving challenge for the field.
Taking what they’ve learnt from Sakhir, Jeddah and Melbourne, who will reign triumphant come the weekend’s end? Can Iwasa hold on to the top spot or will we see our fourth Championship leader in as many rounds?
Here’s all you need to keep an eye out for at Round 4 this weekend.
THE FORM BOOK
Formula 2 brought all its exhilarating action to the track last time out, as the Championship made its debut down under in Australia. However, it was Dennis Hauger and Ayumu Iwasa who ultimately soaked up all the glory by winning the Melbourne Sprint and Feature Races respectively.
After snatching pole in a dramatic wet Qualifying session around the Albert Park Circuit and becoming the first repeat winner of the campaign, Iwasa took control of the Drivers’ Championship for the first time. The Japanese driver holds an eight-point advantage over his nearest rival Théo Pourchaire on 58 points.
Whilst neither driver scored points in both races, Frederik Vesti’s consistency has moved the PREMA Racing driver up to third on 42, leapfrogging Ralph Boschung. Off the back of scoring his maiden F2 podium, Arthur Leclerc has put both DAMS cars inside the top five as the leading rookie of the field. The Ferrari Academy junior is tied with Boschung on 33 points, with the Swiss’ Sakhir victory keeping him ahead for the moment.
Earning the first double podium of the campaign, DAMS added 47 points to their tally last time out to build a gap out front in the Teams’ Standings. With 91 points to their name, they sit comfortably ahead of compatriots ART Grand Prix on 67, who struggled to match their earlier consistency in Melbourne.
Reigning Teams’ Champions MP Motorsport have clawed closer to the top two fight, only five points adrift of ART courtesy of Hauger’s Sprint Race victory. A mixed weekend in Australia has seen Campos Racing drop to third, but Kush Maini’s maiden podium should give the Indian rookie a boost of momentum to fight up front once again. PREMA Racing round out the top five and will be eager to close up DAMS’ 46-point advantage before the triple header gets underway next month.
FROM THE GRID - DENNIS HAUGER, MP MOTORSPORT
“I’ve had some good moments in Baku so far. Last year was my first time there and I got the Feature Race win, which was a cool moment. It’s a really technical track because it’s got quite a long straight at the end of Sector 3 and quite a few straights with some 90-degree corners at Turns 1,2 and 3 in Sector 1. After that, it goes into a technical, tight part under the castle, so it’s a tricky one with many different parts.
"It’s easy to get stressed out or do a few mistakes through the middle sector and then it can open up for opportunities along the straight. It’s an unforgiving circuit, but also a really cool one and a lot of stuff happens there all the time. It’s never over until it’s over on that track, which I figured out last year.
“I tried to make a move in Turn 3 last year, which didn’t work out as I ended up in the wall. Definitely the main point to overtake is on the main straight, which is easiest if you get a good exit and have the DRS on as you don’t waste any energy or tyres to get by. If not, obviously into Turn 3 – they are the biggest spots to do it.
“On the first lap, there are always a lot of opportunities on the outside and inside depending on the circumstances. I think this type of track is really cool for the opening lap where you can really put in a lot of energy and get a few positions. Otherwise, I think that the main straight makes the track quite interesting in terms of the fighting.
“Tyre degradation is pretty low but has a bit of thermal deg there because it’s a street circuit. Obviously, there’s not too much grip there, especially as the weekend builds up it becomes more and more. For the race, the supersoft tyres could not last forever, but the medium is pretty good around there, so it’s more about just keeping it consistent and quick. Also, in terms of when you come in for the pit stop, it was quite interesting last year and I bet it’s going to be like that this year as well.
RACE STRATEGY
Round 4 sees the return of the Pirelli medium compounds, alongside the first 2023 appearance of the purple supersoft tyres. Whilst the compounds remain the same as last season, the race weekend is being held over a month earlier than their previous visit. The lower temperatures should give teams more room to be flexible with their tyre strategy in the Feature Race and eke out a few more laps on the option rubber.
For Qualifying, expect to see the drivers save their best till last. Track evolution should benefit the latest of runners, with the cooler temperatures potentially allowing them a third flying lap. However, with the unforgiving walls looming and the potential for Red Flags, everyone will be keen to get a representative attempt on the board early on. Given the supersoft tyres’ short lifespan, the mediums should be the way to go for the Sprint Race, but any late Safety Cars could see those on the edge of points gamble on a dash to the pits to try to rocket past those already waning.
Opting for the option-prime strategy last year, Dennis Hauger was able to take home the Feature Race victory from third on the grid. Benefitting from the grip off the line, the Norwegian was able to hold position and box eight laps into the race, before stretching his mediums 18 laps to the finish line.
Mario Isola, Pirelli Motorsport Director
“In Baku, the Formula 2 drivers will have the P Zero Yellow medium and P Zero Purple supersoft tyres available, just as in previous years. With the circuit’s long main straight providing plenty of opportunities to overtake, we always see some exciting racing there in F2. Track position is not as crucial as on a typical street circuit, and with the extra step between the compounds, there is the possibility to try something different with strategy, enabling the drivers to prove their skills in wheel-to-wheel action with their rivals. At the same time, the teams need to be aware of the likelihood of a safety car intervention, which is always high in Baku, and can directly influence strategy.
“There are two new challenges for drivers and teams. Firstly, the track in Baku has been completely resurfaced and it will be interesting to see if the roughness is as low as it used to be. Secondly, we could expect lower temperatures compared to recent races in Azerbaijan as the race has been brought forward to April from June. In 2018 and 2019, the race was also in April but now we use 18-inch tyres. As a result, drivers will need to know how to maintain the right tyre temperature despite asphalt temperatures that are expected to be around 10 degrees lower.”
STAT PACK
- Over half the grid have earned a podium across the opening three rounds, with Jak Crawford, Kush Maini and Arthur Leclerc’s first appearances taking the total up to 12 so far.
- Eight drivers have led a lap across the first six races of the season. Ayumu Iwasa currently tops the table with 34 laps, five more than ART Grand Prix’s Théo Pourchaire. Overall, DAMS have been out front for almost a third of the laps so far this year, leading 50 laps in total.
- Iwasa has also become the 15th different driver in Formula 2 history to head the standings following the end of a round, and the third this season – tying with the 2020 campaign.
- Four drivers have previously finished on the podium in Baku, including Juan Manuel Correa in 2019 and last year’s Sprint and Feature Race winners Frederik Vesti and Dennis Hauger.
- MP Motorsport’s Jehan Daruvala is the only repeat top three finisher, after he achieved third and second place finishes in 2021 and 2022.
DID YOU KNOW?
PREMA Racing are the most successful team around the Baku City Circuit, having achieved their first wins at this level with Antonio Giovinazzi’s back-to-back victories in 2016. The Italian team have scored a further three wins around the Azerbaijani track in the Formula 2 era with Charles Leclerc (2017), Robert Shwartzman (2021) and Dennis Hauger (2022), as well as five second places and two third place finishes.
Additionally, their 2023 driver Frederik Vesti secured his first Formula 2 win in Baku after a last-lap shootout in last year’s Sprint Race.