Winners and losers from Azerbaijan GP qualifying

Qualifying in Azerbaijan saw a couple of drivers finish the hour covered in glory, while others are heading off with their tail between their legs. Who are the winners and losers from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session?

Charles Leclerc

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc continued to show the pace that has made him the king of qualifying in 2022. His final qualifying run was imperious, with the Monegasque driver threading the needle through the castle section to open up an astonishing half-second advantage over everyone else.

Three years on from the infamous moment when he branded himself “stupid”, it is time to leave the youthful, exuberant but error-prone version of Leclerc behind and celebrate the mastery he is showing at the wheel of the Ferrari when the pressure ramps up in qualifying.

With Carlos Sainz sliding his way through his final run, Leclerc’s ability to step it up showed the difference between the ‘very good’ and the ‘excellent’.

After the disappointments of Spain and Monaco, where the team let him down, can he keep his head up and respond to Red Bull’s recent momentum?

CHARLES: “It feels good. This one I did not expect – I thought Red Bull were stronger especially in Q1 and Q2, but in the last lap everything came together. I’m really excited for tomorrow. #AzerbaijanGP #F1 pic.twitter.com/reNlUCuuIG

— Formula 1 (@F1) June 11, 2022

Red Bull

Much of Red Bull’s recent form has come about as a result of their operational sharpness, with the team rarely dropping the ball when the chips are down. But Red Bull’s final run in Q3 was slightly compromised as Sergio Perez was unable to give Max Verstappen a tow as a result of him needing a fuel top-up before joining the track – a rare moment of sub-optimal