2018 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Lore & Background

Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo was the defending race winner. Ferrari's Sebastian Vettel entered the round with a nine-point lead over Lewis Hamilton in the World Drivers' Championship. In the World Constructors' Championship, Mercedes started the round with a one-point lead over Ferrari. Charles Leclerc finished 6th and became the first Monégasque driver to score a point since Louis Chiron in the 1950 Monaco Grand Prix. Brendon Hartley finished 10th and became the first driver from New Zealand to score a point since Chris Amon in the 1976 Spanish Grand Prix. Sergio Pérez finished 3rd; this would prove to be the final podium for Force India.

Reader's Guide

The race was brought forward from its June date to avoid clashing with celebrations for the centenary of the Azerbaijan republic. The Pirelli tyre compounds selected were, in order of most hard to least, the soft (yellow), super-soft (red), and ultra-soft (purple). Intermediate and full wet tyres were available but not used. In qualifying, Kimi Räikkönen almost claimed pole but made a mistake on the exit of the final corner, settling for P6, allowing Sebastian Vettel to keep pole.

The race featured multiple incidents: first-lap contact between Räikkönen and Esteban Ocon, a double puncture for Fernando Alonso, and a safety car. On lap 40, Red Bull teammates Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo collided, retiring both. Romain Grosjean retired after hitting the wall under safety car. Valtteri Bottas led late but suffered a puncture on lap 49 and retired. Lewis Hamilton won, Räikkönen was second, Pérez third. Haas drivers finished 13th and 15th and scored no points.