Baku Race Repercussions: Five Takeaways for Singapore
The race this past Sunday not only showcased the continued strength of McLaren but also highlighted some key elements of what we can expect to see the rest of the season. From Williams to Perez, the shock value in the race was second to none, providing much-needed racing in the Driver Championship. Many teams performed well, with some results showing a continual trend towards improvement. On the other end, some have a long rest of the season ahead. Let’s break it down.
McLaren’s Piastri
Oscar Piastri has had an amazing season, and with that, his win at Baku further cemented himself as a driver number one for McLaren. The debate has been settled, as both Lando and Oscar have had sustained success with the team. This not only shows his skill as a driver but also as a potential world champion with consistent quality finishes. Oscar Piastri is the one to watch heading into the final stretch of the season. That being said, he’ll have to aid Lando if McLaren wants any chance of securing both the Constructors and Drivers Championship.
Williams’ Success
A shocker indeed, both Williams have made third-stage qualifying and with that the rookie, Franco Colapinto, qualified in ninth position. His teammate, Alex Albon, qualified in the 10th position, being out-qualified by his new teammate. This not only marks a change in Williams’ success but shines a light on the potential growth within the team, after having sacked their former driver, Logan Sargeant. Furthermore, the race ended with both Williams scoring points, putting the team on a much-needed success that they can hopefully sustain through the rest of the season. The rookies came to play, with Haas driver Oliver Bearman also acquiring points.
Glimpse of Hope for Perez
After months of scrutiny, Sergio Perez finally pulled off a decent race, until he and Carlos Sainz crashed on the last few laps of the race. That being said, we will have to wait until next week in Singapore to see if this was a diamond in the rough performance, or if Perez is finally returning to form. If Perez can improve through the remainder of the season, then he can help Red Bull in trying to regain the Constructors Championship from McLaren. Overall, Baku was a race that provided great insight into the various teams' development, and with more races to come, we can only speculate on what this growth can mean going forward.
