F1: Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Preview – Ferrari

The seventeenth of 24 rounds of the Components 1 World Championship, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix takes place this weekend.

It may be considered the ultimate European race of the season, even when the nation sits on the divide between Europe and Asia and has a really totally different ambiance to the opposite races on the Outdated Continent.

The Baku Metropolis Circuit is actually uncommon: the 6.003 kilometre-long road monitor contains lengthy straights and vast corners in addition to tight and twisty sections that run between the traditional buildings of the outdated metropolis. The ultimate part, over two kilometres lengthy is taken flat-out and is often the scene of the important thing moments within the race, whereas the part across the historic citadel is so slender that in components it is just vast sufficient for only one automotive.

Baku requires a tough compromise, as a automotive will need to have enough aerodynamic downforce to energy out of the sluggish corners within the first and second sectors, however should not be weak to assault by the lengthy and really fast remaining sector. All yr, the monitor floor has to take care of day by day Baku site visitors and subsequently presents much less grip than everlasting race circuits and this will result in tyre graining. There are two DRS zones, one early on after flip 2 and the second on the principle straight. The Security Automobile isn’t any stranger to this occasion, having put in ten appearances over the eight Components 1 races held right here so far, finishing 45 laps out of a complete of 459, in different phrases 9.8% of all laps from 2016 onwards.

Pirelli has chosen the three softest tyres in its vary for this occasion, the C4 as Laborious, C5 as Medium and C6 as Mushy. Typically, Baku has at all times been a one-stop race with the bulk beginning on the Medium earlier than switching to the Laborious, this proving to be the simplest technique. Nevertheless, it’s not past the realms of likelihood to see the Mushy come into play for a brief stint within the occasion of a Security Automobile look within the later phases of the Grand Prix. The climate has not often been a big consider Baku, even when gusts of wind could make life tough on monitor for the drivers.

Fred Vasseur: Baku is at all times an attention-grabbing weekend, with its mixture of lengthy straights and a really technical center sector. It tends to supply unpredictable races and alternatives, so it is vital that we execute every little thing to perfection, and we’ll concentrate on ourselves to extract the utmost from the bundle we’ve. The group has been working exhausting on how we put together for the occasion and our operation over the entire weekend, realizing that on a road circuit these parts could make an actual distinction. Get this proper and I am positive we will ship a powerful outcome with each drivers.

Ferrari on the Baku Metropolis Circuit

8 GP Contested2016 Debut European GP (S. Vettel 2nd; Ok. Raikkonen 4th)0 Wins5 (62.50%) Pole positions2 (20.00%) Quickest laps5 (20.83%) Podiums

Three inquiries to Olivier Helvig, Efficiency Engineer.

What sort of aerodynamic compromise is required on the Baku Metropolis Circuit? Olivier Helvig: With one of many longest straights of the season you want the least drag doable however on the similar time you want good downforce for 2 most important causes: confidence when braking and good grip in low pace corners, that are within the majority at this monitor.

How does the excessive probability of Security Automobile deployments have an effect on race preparation? OH: Truly, when it comes to establishing the automotive, not a lot and we will simply make just a few small modifications to the set-up. For the technique group it’s extra of a headache, as a result of it could actually have a big influence and as at all times it’s a part of the danger evaluation and analysis of doable situations to establish the statistically optimum technique or methods primarily based on when a Security Automobile would possibly seem.

Inform us about your self. How did you come to affix Ferrari, and what does it really feel wish to be a part of Scuderia Ferrari HP? OH: From childhood and, in keeping with the well-known quote from Enzo Ferrari, I used to be one of many youngsters who selected the purple automotive to play with. Whereas different youngsters had been pondering of soccer or music, I used to be already pondering of Components 1, Ferrari and of engineering Components 1 Ferraris.

Being a part of the Scuderia is for me a mixture of attaining my dream, despite the fact that the true dream is successful the world championship with this group, together with the duty of giving that satisfaction to the various passionate folks like me who love Ferrari. Day by day is an opportunity to study one thing new, be it technical or on the human aspect. I’m fortunate to have this chance to immerse myself in Italian tradition, its lifestyle, whereas sharing my ardour with hundreds of colleagues who work in Components 1 or with the Hypercar or the highway automobiles. As a result of for me, they’re all of the one firm.

Info & Figures

2.6. The inhabitants of Baku in hundreds of thousands, making the Azerbaijan capital the largest metropolis within the Caucasus and on the shoreline of the Caspian Sea.

40. The several types of pilaf, the nationwide dish of Azerbaijan. Initially from Persia, it was first recorded in Azerbaijan across the yr 1000 and have become the nationwide dish. Every variation has hyperlinks to particular areas or stems from native custom. Pilaf is a dish made with steamed long-grain rice mixed with meat, usually lamb or beef, onions, dried fruit together with apricots or raisins, and fragrant spices together with turmeric and saffron. What makes it distinctive is that the components are cooked individually after which introduced collectively, so that every ingredient retains its distinctive flavour and the rice stays fluffy and the grains separate. In lots of variations, the dish is completed with a golden, crispy crust on the backside of the pot known as qazmaq, which provides to its visible enchantment and flavour. It’s considered a particular dish and an emblem of hospitality, served at celebrations and weddings, with quite a few candy or savoury regional variations.

350. The variety of lively mud volcanoes in Azerbaijan, discovered primarily within the Gobustan and Absheron areas. These volcanoes don’t produce lava, truly throwing up sizzling mud, pure gasoline, and clay, forming cones and swimming pools that may attain a number of metres in peak. The phenomenon is brought on by underground oil and gasoline deposits, which push the mud to the floor. Some volcanoes often emit flames, whereas others create surreal landscapes of steaming swimming pools and craters. They’re main vacationer points of interest and areas of geological examine, along with being thought of distinctive pure heritage websites. The three most well-known are: Dashgil, on the island of the identical identify within the Caspian Sea. It’s recognized for its spectacular eruptions and in July 2021, it produced an enormous fireball with flames reaching as much as 500 metres excessive, which might be seen as distant because the capital. This volcano is among the most lively and presents a singular visible expertise. Then there’s Lokbatan, solely 15 km from Baku, recognized for its frequent eruptions whereas the Gobustan space is residence to over half of Azerbaijan’s mud volcanoes. This area can also be well-known for its prehistoric rock carvings, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Web site.

4466. The altitude in metres of Mount Bazarduzu, the best peak in Azerbaijan, a rustic finest recognized for the truth that a lot of it’s beneath sea stage. Baku, for instance, is situated at -28 metres.

12000. The tons of black tea that Azerbaijan imports yearly, despite the fact that it grows some domestically. It’s the nationwide drink and is served in just about each scenario, from household visits to enterprise conferences. Historically, a two-level teapot or “caydan” is used, through which a concentrated brew is diluted with sizzling water, so every individual can modify the energy to their liking. Tea is served in pear-shaped glasses known as armudu, which improve its color and retain warmth longer. It’s usually accompanied by native sweets, jams, nuts, dried fruit, and sugar cubes, however by no means served with milk. Ingesting tea is a part of Azerbaijan hospitality and welcoming company with it’s a signal of respect and friendship.