Bottas on pole at the end of the suspense, Leclerc injured in Q2

He seemed to be off to such a good start... Dominant of the shortened runs on Friday then Saturday at the start of the afternoon during FP3, Charles Leclerc entered qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with the label of big favorite. The Monegasque will not make it past Q2, the fault of a crash at the entrance to the ultra-winding section located near Baku Castle. “ I'm stupid, so stupid, nooo », choked the Monegasque at the moment, aware that there was a good move to play. “ I am useless “, he later wrote on his Twitter account.

No apologies. I've been useless. I will push to have a better tomorrow.
Sorry to all the people supporting us and even more to the whole team that deserved so much better.
: @motorsportpics1 pic.twitter.com/F8rDEr2L0A

- Charles Leclerc (@Charles_Leclerc) April 27, 2019

All is not lost for Leclerc, whose time in Q2 was enough to move him into Q3 with medium tires more suited to the race. The FIA ​​technical teams will, however, have to judge whether the train used in Q2 by the former champion of Formula 2 is still good for service on Sunday during the race.

At the end of a choppy session, the snub for Ferrari is all the greater as Mercedes locks the first line while the Team looked very strong after free practice. Valtteri Bottas takes advantage of a final aspiration in his last flying lap to beat his teammate to the best time Lewis Hamilton. Under the checkerboard, 59 thousandths separate the two Silver Arrows. The Finn signs his second pole in a row after Shanghai, his 8th in his career.

Sebastian Vettel must be satisfied with 3rd place, more than three tenths of Bottas' reference, while Max Verstappen wins a solid 4th time for Red Bull. The Dutchman is ahead of a superb Sergio Pérez (Racing Point), record holder for podiums here in Baku, and 5th at the start on Sunday. 

Great performances also for Daniil Kvyat (Toro Rosso), Lando Norris (McLaren), and the Alfa Romeo by Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Raïkkönen. The Italian records the first Q3 of his young career but will have to move back 10 places on the grid due to a change in driving force. After his crash in Q2, Leclerc should therefore start 9th.

QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION: Bottas pips his team mate Hamilton to pole as @MercedesAMGF1 claim their 60th front-row lock out #AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/nqLEVcN4TU

— Formula 1 (@F1) April 27, 2019

As in Melbourne and Sakhir, Renault fails to appear in Q3 since its best representative Daniel Ricciardo cannot do better than 12th fastest, behind the Renault-powered McLaren of Carlos Sainz, also eliminated in Q2. Alexander albon (Red Bull), Kevin Magnussen (Haas), And Pierre Gasly (Red Bull) also stop during the intermediate phase of qualifying.

The Frenchman has known since Friday evening that he will have to start from the pit lane for not having submitted to the weigh-in at the end of Free Practice 2. A small consolation for the Norman: it was he who showed himself the most fast in Q1.

Q2 CLASSIFICATION: @Anto_Giovinazzi bags his first Q3 appearance #AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/XyN6W1eIFI

- Formula 1 (@ F1) April 27, 2019

This opening phase proved fatal to Lance stroll (Racing Point) for the 4th time in a row this season. Disappointment also for Romain Grosjean (Challenge), Nico Hulkenberg (Renault), and both Williams, still falling behind the clock.

Grove's woes aren't limited to this weekend's performance, however. After the unfortunate incident suffered by George Russell on Friday when he drove over a detached manhole cover, Robert Kubica went to crash his wayward FW42 in the same place as Leclerc, causing a first significant delay.

QUALIFYING CLASSIFICATION: Bottas pips his team mate Hamilton to pole as @MercedesAMGF1 claim their 60th front-row lock out #AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/nqLEVcN4TU

- Formula 1 (@ F1) April 27th

If the qualifying session is only a preview of what awaits us on Sunday afternoon in the race, this promises another topsy-turvy Azerbaijan Grand Prix. It will be live with commentary on CARhebdo.fr from 14h10.