On the weekend before the final races of September, all eyes in the motorsport world were on Azerbaijan as the Baku Formula 1 Qualifying unfolded with unprecedented drama. The notoriously tight Baku Grand Prix circuit, known for its narrow layout and demanding corners, delivered a chaotic Saturday session marked by a record-breaking six red flags disrupting the competition.
A Turbulent Start to Qualifying
The opening segment of qualifying, Q1, was plagued by early incidents that interrupted the flow before drivers could set competitive times. Alex Albon of Williams clipped the wall at turn one, ending his run and triggering the first red flag to clear his damaged car. Shortly after racing resumed, Nico Hulkenberg, driving for Sauber, lost his front wing after making contact with the barrier at turn four, which caused the second red flag to halt proceedings once again.
As time ran short, drivers pushed hard to improve their lap times, but this aggressive approach backfired for Alpine’s duo. Pierre Gasly lost control near a corner and ended up stuck in the runoff area without completing his lap. Shocked by Gasly’s misfortune, his teammate Franco Colapinto crashed into the barrier almost immediately afterward, forcing the session’s third stoppage just as Q1 drew to a close.
Mid-Session Interruptions and Challenges
Q2 began under slightly better conditions but was still not free from disruption. Three minutes into the session, rookie driver Oliver Bearman of Haas crashed exiting turn two and could not remove his car from the track, prompting the fourth red flag of the day. After the delay, the remainder of Q2 proceeded without incident.
The highlight of this session was Charles Leclerc, who faced mounting pressure due to errors on his first two attempts. With the clock ticking down, he risked everything on a final flying lap, pushing the limits despite worsening track conditions. Although he clipped the wall at the location where Bearman had crashed earlier, Leclerc managed to register a time sufficient to advance to the final stage.
Final Showdown Amid Increasing Difficulties
The concluding phase, Q3, was the shortest but no less intense, as drivers contended with light rain making the track slippery and unpredictable. Leclerc encountered trouble again on his initial flying lap, colliding with the wall at turn 15. This led to the fifth red flag, further extending the qualifying session.
The growing difficulties benefited a few drivers who clocked quick laps before the weather worsened, including Carlos Sainz. However, the key championship contenders, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, were not among those early finishers. Both were desperate to outpace the other, but Piastri’s aggressive attempt cost him, as he crashed and caused the final, sixth red flag of the weekend.
This last stoppage gave Norris a chance to secure a better starting position. Unfortunately, his subsequent lap was disappointing, and he qualified seventh, just slightly ahead of Piastri in ninth. Ultimately, Max Verstappen seized pole position, continuing his dominance as the reigning champion.
Unprecedented Chaos and Its Aftermath
The entire qualifying session lasted nearly an hour longer than planned due to the six red flags, setting a new record for the most session stoppages on a Saturday in Formula 1 history. Despite hopeful anticipation from fans for an equally thrilling Grand Prix, the race itself failed to match the intensity and drama of qualifying day. Nevertheless, this chaotic qualifying round remains a memorable and historic moment in the Baku Grand Prix’s timeline, as well as in the wider Formula 1 calendar.
“The qualifying lasted almost an hour longer than it was supposed to. It has also broken the record for the most red flags during a Saturday session, with six in total being waved over the circuit.” ?Source, Stadium Rant
