2024 Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Highlights

Max Verstappen, Driver, Red Bull Racing

In the race, we were stuck behind Lando and Alex and had some issues with balance. The car was jumping around a lot, and we lost contact with the tarmac. We ultimately still had some problems with changes we made before qualifying, and we just paid the price today.

Most of the time, we make a change going into qualifying, which pays off, but sometimes it doesn’t and is just a risk you must make. There is a fix, but we found out too late to make any changes. The initial changes we made were positive; we were going well, and we just made some changes in qualifying that tipped us over the edge. We will work together as a Team for the Championship, and the fight is not over. You win or lose as a Team, and we won’t give up. It is as simple as that.

Sergio Pérez, Driver, Red Bull Racing:

Today was miserable; the last person I wanted to have contact with was Carlos, and to end our weekends like that was a disaster for both of us. I feel that we exited turn two with lots of room between the cars, and as Charles moved inside, Carlos looked to pick up the tow from him. As he picked up speed, he moved quickly, touched my front tyre, and it was game over for me. It is a shame for the Team and the Championship; after today’s race and the work we have done all weekend, it’s hard for everyone to take. I am sad for the Team, but the positive thing is that the pace is back; the changes to the car have put us back in contention. We were fighting for the win and looking like we would have a strong result – that’s what we need to take out of today. We need to keep up with our progress, and hopefully, in the coming races, we can be solid.

CHRISTIAN HORNER, CEO and Team Principal

It was a disappointing end to the race and a very unlucky one for Checo; he was in a position to win that race today, and, unfortunately, we couldn’t achieve that. It looked like Carlos drifted to the left-hand side of the track, and there was contact, which caused a huge amount of damage. Notably, both drivers are ok, but it has cost us crucial points for Checo and the Constructors’ Championship, so we are very disappointed. With Max, he was happier with the car’s set-up, so we’ll have to look into the difference. After the pit stop, he ran into Lando and Alex, who were unlucky as it affected his race, and his tyres started getting out of the window. It was a big swing for the Constructors in the last three laps, and we have lost out on some significant points in the Championship. However, we will brush ourselves down and fight back hard.

1. Previous
2. 1
3. 2
4. 3
5. 4
6. 5
7. 6
8. 7
9. 8
10. 9
11. 10
12. 11
13. Next