Agreed earlier in the week, the format sees practice reduced to one session, the Grand Prix qualifying moved to the Friday and Saturday turned into a sprint special.

Russell struggled during Friday’s Grand Prix qualifying, failing to get out of Q2, leaving him lining up in P11 on Sunday.

He managed to qualify higher up in the sprint shootout, starting and finishing the event in P4.

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Looking at the weekend, Russell revealed he had mixed feelings about the new weekend format. 

“Firstly, very happy with the job in qualifying, I think P4 is exceeding our expectations,” he told F1 TV.

“But when I got back into the pit lane I was like ‘bugger, still made that mistake yesterday’, and it showed what was probably possible.  

“But you know, you can’t always put in your A-game, and it was so close yesterday, but it’s an interesting one.  

“We always seem to get better as qualifying progresses, we always sort of come into our own come Q3 and as the weekend progresses, so there’s something to learn there.”

Russell might struggle to get in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship this season but he is determined to ensure he cements his status within the Mercedes team.

READ: Toto Wolff’s wife fires warning about women making it to Formula 1

After his performance last year, Russell is seeking to become the first teammate of Lewis Hamilton to beat the seven-time world champion in two consecutive seasons.

Having suffered a DNF in Australia, Russell is trailing Hamilton in the Drivers’ Standings by 17 points.

Russell will be struggling to flip that form in Sunday’s Grand Prix, as Hamilton starts 6 places in front of him.

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The Sprint race proved to be challenging for Verstappen early on, as he took damage in the early stages after contact with the Mercedes of George Russell. 

This incident left Verstappen struggling in his battle for points, as he failed to overtake Charles Leclerc or get close to challenging his teammate Sergio Perez for victory.

The Grand Prix wouldn’t prove much more successfully for Verstappen, as he took P2 behind his teammate after a poor strategy call hurt his ability to compete for victory.

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Having pitted under yellow flags following an incident with the AlphaTauri of Nyck De Vries, Verstappen found himself behind Perez when a later deployment of a safety car helped the Mexican keep hold of P1.

1996 World Champion Damon Hill was surprised how irritated Verstappen was over the weekend despite remaining at the top of the Drivers’ Standings, believing that the Dutchman’s attitude might have hampered his chances in Baku.

“I got the sense that there’s something a bit out of sorts with Max at the moment,” Hill told Sky Sports. 

“He’s talked about not wanting to race after 30 and all of this stuff.

READ: Max Verstappen shares his excuse for being beaten by Sergio Perez in Azerbaijan

“Why is he talking about this now? He’s right in the middle of a Championship. It’s a bit odd.”

The talk of a possible retirement from the two-time world champion has surprised many, as he is currently at the top of the sport and could remain as such until regulations change in 2026.

Pundits and drivers alike are struggling to understand why Verstappen wouldn’t want to challenge for a record-breaking eight world titles, smashing the record of seven held by Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton.

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The Papaya team only managed to leave Baku with 2 points after failing to score points in the Sprint race and Lando Norris only just managing to secure P9 in the Grand Prix.

Piastri’s chances were hurt by a stomach bug that left him only able to consume four pieces of toast all weekend, resulting in him losing 3 kilogrammes. 

Piastri opened up about his uncomfortable weekend, revealing the impact of the illness on his performance in Baku.

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“Through the race, the illness didn’t impact me too much but I’m a lot lighter than I was at the start of the weekend,” Piastri told reporters.

“Today’s probably been the best I’ve felt all weekend but that isn’t saying much. It’s been very difficult, physically. Especially (the sprint Saturday) was pretty rough.

“I’ve had about four pieces of toast for the whole weekend, so I need to get some food back in me before (the next grand prix in) Miami.”

“Fighting spirit shown all weekend, despite being ill. Proud of your effort, @OscarPiastri (and the Doc)!” McLaren added on Twitter.

McLaren team engineer Tom Stallard stated over the team radio after the race that Piastri’s performance was “pretty b***** impressive given everything else that’s been going on this weekend.”

READ: Lewis Hamilton addresses threat of Charles Leclerc replacing him

Despite the tough result, McLaren was optimistic that their new upgrades will help them to be more competitive in the coming races, as teams now turn their focus to Miami.

McLaren are currently in fifth place in the Constructors’ Championship, just 6 points ahead of Alpine and over 166 points behind title leaders Red Bull.

In the Drivers’ Standings, Norris sits in P9, while Piastri is in P11, as the midfield battle proves to be quite competitive this year.

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A new format, voted through earlier this week, moving the Grand Prix qualifying to Friday, turning Saturday into a sprint race special and limiting practice to a 1 hour session.

The FIA has brought in the changes to the weekend over concerns that three practice sessions, especially on sprint weekends, fails to engage fans.

The Red Bull driver is cautious that the changes will actually have the desired effect, believing that teams will not be willing to risk damaging their cars around the tight circuit.

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“The budget cap… none of us want to damage our cars because that can be very penalising on bringing future upgrades and it can have an impact on your future races,” Perez told reporters.

“So, I think it’s not like everyone is going to be taking silly risks for a few points. 

“At the end of the day, it’s important to be able to bring the car home and have a good Sunday. So I think it’s not going to change that much.”

Both Red Bulls will start the Grand Prix and the sprint race in the top three.

READ: Lewis Hamilton breaks silence on Charles Leclerc replacement rumour

On Sunday, Max Verstappen will line up in P2, while Perez will start in P3, with the roles reversed in Saturday’s sprint race, as the Mexican starts in second place and the Dutchman is in third.

Red Bull will be looking to continue their dominant streak in Azerbaijan, having secured three wins out of three so far this season.

Ferrari will be hoping to stop that from happening, as the Italian outfit looks to capitalise on a double pole position start for Leclerc, who lines up in P1 for both the Grand Prix and sprint.

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Post-race, as Russell attempted to explain his actions, an angry Verstappen verbally abused the Mercedes driver in a clip caught on camera.

“I had no grip. I locked up,” Russell explained.

“Mate, we all have no grip. You have to leave a little space,” Verstappen replied.

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“Expect next the same, d*******,” the Dutchman added.

Russell continued his defence during the post-race interviews, noting his surprise at how frustrated Verstappen.

“I was on the inside. The position was already lost from him and I was really quite surprised he was still trying to hold it on the outside,” Russell told the media.

“Ever since we’re eight years old in go karting, if you’re on the inside at the apex, it’s your corner and if you try and hold it on the outside, you’re taking the risk.

“I’m here to fight. I’m here to win. I’m not just going to wave him by because he’s Max Verstappen in a Red Bull,” Russell continued.

Verstappen, on the other hand, was not willing to accept Russell’s explanation for the incident, continuing his criticism of the Mercedes driver when he spoke to the media.

“[Defending] is not allowed because ‘Princess George’ is there? At the end of the day, that’s his problem too,” Verstappen stated.x

“Everyone has their own opinion. But I think I gave him space and then he should also just take that corner normally.

“If you bump into each other with the wheels sometimes that can happen.

“That’s not ideal either, but if you [cause] a hole [for] someone else, that’s a bit more than just with the wheels against each other.”

READ: ‘Toto Wolff will bang heads together’ as Mercedes plot to retain Lewis Hamilton

Despite the contact, Verstappen managed to pass Russell to retain P3 in the Sprint race, although he was unable to make up ground on Charles Leclerc, who finished in P2 after starting on pole.

Verstappen’s teammate Sergio Perez took the victory in the first Sprint race of the season, closing the gap between the Dutchman and Mexican in the Drivers’ Standings to just 13 points.

With the RB19 the strongest car on the grid this season, Verstappen is all too aware of the threat his teammate poses to his championship ambitions if he manages to secure results like that in the Sprint race more often,

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The new set up saw practice reduced to a one hour session before drivers competed in qualifying for Sunday’s Grand Prix.

Instead of having a practice session on the Saturday, the whole day was dedicated to the sprint format, with a shootout to set the grid in the morning and the 17-lap race in the afternoon.

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez is among those who is concerned about the direction the FIA is taking, joking that officials will make the drivers fight to entertain the fans next.

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“It was fast and furious,” Perez said discussing the new format

“It won’t be long before they put a [wrestling] ring in the middle of the track and get all the drivers in a fight. It was enjoyable though.”

Despite his views on the new format, Perez has enjoyed a successful weekend around Baku, winning the sprint race after qualifying in P2.

The Mexican will be hoping for a similarly strong performance in Sunday’s Grand Prix, lining up in P3 behind his teammate and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc.

READ: ‘Toto Wolff will bang heads together’ as Mercedes plot to retain Lewis Hamilton

With the Drivers’ title race a close battle between Perez and Verstappen, the Mexican will be keen to finish ahead of the Dutchman, cutting his teammate’s 13 point lead.

Verstappen, on the other hand, will be determined to make amends for Saturday’s race, which saw him make contact with George Russell early on, causing damage to the RB19 and making it impossible for him to pass Leclerc.

Ahead of the feature race on Sunday, Red Bull hold a clear 68 point lead as a team over their nearest rivals Aston Martin, having secured every P1 finish of the season so far.

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Sergio Perez claimed a comfortable victory on Sunday to cut Max Verstappen’s championship lead to just six points, with the Dutchman having finished second.

The result marked Red Bull’s third 1-2 of the 2023 F1 season, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc having claimed third.

Very little action took place during the race, with tyre preservation having been every driver’s priority, rather than pushing for an overtake.

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At Baku in 2017, four-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel quite literally tried to push seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton.

Whilst behind a Safety Car, Hamilton led the race from Vettel, as the duo duelled as title rivals, rather than the friends they are today.

As they exited Turn 15, Vettel went straight into the back of Hamilton, whom the German was convinced tried to brake test him.

Vettel’s response to the incident saw him pull to the side of Hamilton and steer directly into him, damaging both of their cars.

Daniel Ricciardo ended up winning the race, much to Hamilton’s anger.

Vettel was also furious after the race and was convinced that Hamilton touched his brakes; however, telemetry data proved that the 38-year-old hadn’t touched his brake pedal.

“F1 is for grown-ups,” Vettel insisted.

“I drove alongside and we had a little contact. I wasn’t happy with the brake-testing. I drove alongside him and raised my hand to say that is not the way to do it.”

Hamilton went a step further than Vettel and insisted that the 35-year-old had “disgraced himself”, with Hamilton having also added that if the German had anything to say to the Briton then he should do it “face-to-face”.

READ: Max Verstappen branded ‘sore loser’

“He was obviously sleeping and driving alongside, and deliberately driving into a driver and coming away scot-free is a disgrace,” Hamilton slammed.

“He disgraced himself. If he wants to prove he’s a man, we should do it out of the car face-to-face.

“Driving dangerously in any way can put another driver at risk. Luckily we were going slow. If we were going fast it could have been a lot worse. Imagine all the kids watching Formula 1 today and seeing that kind of behaviour from a four-time world champion.”

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The Dutchman’s disapproval of the situation is only likely to have grown after a tough weekend in Baku saw him finish in P3 in the Sprint and P2 in the Grand Prix, while his teammate Sergio Perez took victory in both races.

With Perez claiming two P1 finishes, the gap between Verstappen and the Mexican in the Drivers’ Championship has been reduced to just 6 points. 

“It’s like being 3-0 up in football and then they say ‘ok reset it to 0-0 and let’s go again’,” Verstappen said.

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“I was bored in the qualifying. It’s too artificial.  

“I’m like ‘my God, another qualifying?’ It’s not real racing.”

Verstappen’s old rival Lewis Hamilton holds a different view, believing that the old format means teams waste a lot of time and fans are left with a lack of engaging moments on the Friday.

“I generally like it,” Hamilton said.  

“A lot of time is usually wasted in a weekend, so I think it’s good like this.”  

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc has a more nuanced position, believing the format is better but shouldn’t be introduced at ever race weekend.

“I think this is a better format than last year’s sprint format,” he said. 

READ: Yuki Tsunoda fumes at Logan Sargeant

“But I wouldn’t want it to be the standard format in the future.  “I think it’s fine if we have three, four races like this in a year.”  

If Perez claims victory in Miami and Verstappen finishes in P2 or lower, the Mexican has the chance to secure the lead in the Drivers’ Championship for the first time in his career.

For Red Bull, the success in Azerbaijan means that the title-leaders have won every race, including Saturday’s Sprint, so far this season, cementing an almost 100 point lead in the Constructors’ Standings over their nearest rivals.

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Verstappen struggled during the Sprint Shootout, lining up in P3 and failing to gain any places during the race after an opening incident with Russell’s Mercedes.

Russell and Verstappen disagreed over the incident after they got out the vehicle, with the Mercedes driver trying to explain the situation before the Dutchman called him a “d*******”.

Speaking to the media after the race, Verstappen claimed the new format was boring, making clear that he didn’t enjoy the event.

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“I got bored during today’s qualifying [for the sprint] to be honest,” Verstappen said.

“I like to have one particular qualifying where you put everything in it, which was yesterday, which I enjoyed.

“Then you have to do it again today. It’s like, ‘oh my God, another qualifying?’ I just don’t really enjoy that.”

Hill wasn’t willing to tolerate Verstappen’s criticism though, suggesting that the Red Bull driver should focus more on his on-track performance and less on trying to shape races behind the scenes.

“We should just give Max Verstappen the championship and not bother with anything else!” Hill said sarcastically.

“Sorry, that’s just sulking, a poor loser. It’s fair for everyone, it’s the same competition.

READ: Red Bull make huge claim about Ferrari engine 

“He should be thinking about the championship, thinking about tomorrow, put it behind him.”

Verstappen leads the Drivers’ Standings but the result of Saturday’s Sprint race meant his teammate Sergio Perez was able to close the gap in the title race to just 13 points.

The Dutchman is well aware that the Mexican is his greatest competition at this stage of the season, as they both have the benefit of the impressive performance of the RB19.

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The number of sprint races has doubled from three to six for the 2023 season, with a new format seeing practice reduced to a one hour session on the Friday, followed by Grand Prix qualifying with Saturday turned into a Sprint special.

Hamilton seemed to struggle in the Sprint Shootout session, finishing behind his teammate and slipping down one place following an overtake from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso.

The Sprint race, while competitive and offering up points for the first eight, was seen by many drivers and teams as an opportunity to gather data ahead of the Grand Prix on Sunday.

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Important information, such as tyre degradation, will allow teams to plan their race strategy for the longer Grand Prix, deciding whether to plan for a one stop or two stop session.

It was a bit of a struggle, not the most exciting 17 laps,” Hamilton told the F1 website. 

“I struggled with the car compared to qualifying.  

“Those are the [car] paces that you’re going to see tomorrow, I think.

“I definitely have some good learnings from this session in terms of where I place the car for tomorrow. 

“[The sprint] was basically like a long run in P2 – a bit longer than you would normally get in P2 – but [gave] a good idea of where to set the car for tomorrow.

“Hopefully, I’ll have better race pace,” he continued.

READ: Yuki Tsunoda fumes at Logan Sargeant

So far this season, Mercedes has struggled with its race pace, finding itself in third place in the Constructors’ Standings behind Aston Martin and Red Bull.

Mercedes have brought forward a series of upgrades to the W14 this season but it is yet to be seen whether it will make the car truly competitive, as the RB19 continues to dominate.

Even with Hamilton’s teammate George Russell managing to overtake Max Verstappen in Saturday’s Sprint, the Mercedes was not strong enough to hold back the Red Bulls over the course of the race.

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