Azerbaijan GP: Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda might miss out on Dash qualifying finale after tyre gamble

Lando Norris and Yuki Tsunoda might be left unable to take part within the closing a part of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix Dash Shootout on Saturday after taking a tyre gamble in Qualifying on Friday.

System 1 is debuting a brand new Dash format in Baku, which has seen a second qualifying session – that units the grid for Saturday’s shortened race – added to the schedule instead of a second follow session.

The second qualifying session, which takes place on Saturday earlier than the Dash later within the day, holds totally different guidelines to Friday’s conventional Qualifying, which units the order for Sunday’s full-length contest.

Together with the three qualifying segments being shortened, every automobile is required to run a set of recent medium tyres in SQ1 and SQ2, earlier than switching to a brand new set of softs for the SQ3 finale, in the event that they make it by.

Lando Norris completed seventh for McLaren in his finest Qualifying efficiency of the season

Nonetheless, with every driver solely getting access to 4 units of medium tyres and 6 comfortable compound units – together with two units of exhausting tyres – throughout the weekend, the brand new guidelines failed to ban them from utilizing up these units earlier than Saturday’s Dash Shootout.

The related article within the guidelines reads: “Within the interval SQ3 of the dash shootout, as much as one set of dry-weather tyres could also be used, and this should solely be a brand new set of the comfortable specification.”

Groups famous the usage of the phrase ‘might’ somewhat than ‘should’, and seen this as a possibility to make use of their tyres as they happy on Friday.

Yuki Tsunoda completed eighth for AlphaTauri

Norris and Tsunoda, neither of whom have been assured of constructing it by to Q3, determined it was of their finest curiosity to make use of extra units of soppy tyres in Friday’s follow session and Qualifying to make sure the best attainable beginning place for Sunday’s race, the place probably the most factors can be found.

Each groups have been conscious that making it by to Q3 on Friday and utilizing up every of their six units of soppy tyres would imply they’d be unable to compete in Saturday’s SQ3, condemning their drivers to the bottom place within the prime 10 in the event that they advance that far.

Norris took benefit of the numerous upgrades McLaren have dropped at Baku to take a formidable seventh, whereas Tsunoda produced his finest efficiency of the season to take eight for AlphaTauri.

These performances got here after Autosport had reported earlier on Friday that the FIA had made a late try to change the foundations to make sure groups have been obliged to maintain sufficient recent tyres to make sure they’ve the power to compete in every a part of the Dash Shootout.

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Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc edges out Crimson Bull rival Max Verstappen to assert pole place for the third straight time in Baku

The game’s governing physique wanted eight of the ten groups to agree to change the rules, which have been solely voted by earlier this week, however failed – leaving the loophole open.

“It was a aware strategic choice to maximise the grand prix quali end result,” a McLaren spokesperson informed Autosport.

“There’s much more factors to be scored on Sunday, so it is the extra essential race to prioritise.”

Norris and Tsunoda took totally different routes to utilizing up their six units of soppy tyres, with the McLaren saving an additional set to be used within the Q3 finale, whereas AlphaTauri gave Tsunoda an additional set in follow to assist optimise his setup.

AlphaTauri took the identical strategy with Tsunoda’s team-mate Nyck de Vries, however the Dutchman crashed out in Q1.

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A purple flag was introduced out in Qualifying as Nyck de Vries crashed his AlphaTauri into the boundaries

“Though we introduced a number of new aero parts, our anticipated competitiveness primarily based on the final occasions was that we weren’t Q3 materials,” AlphaTauri chief race engineer Jonathan Eddolls stated.

“Consequently, we put a whole lot of effort into quali preparation in FP1 to offer us the perfect likelihood for beginning as excessive up as attainable on Sunday the place extra factors can be found. Each drivers ran two units of soppy and medium tyres in FP1.

“The draw back of our FP1 qualifying preparation meant we had no new tyres remaining for Q3, however Yuki set a unbelievable lap on the used tyre to complete P8 for the race on Sunday.”

The FIA is anticipated to aim to vary the foundations in time for the subsequent of F1’s six 2023 Dash weekends, which comes on the Austrian Grand Prix from June 30-July 2.

How will Saturday work in Baku?

The Dash Shootout – the brand new qualifying session for the Dash race – takes place at 9.30am on Saturday, with build-up on Sky Sports activities F1 from 9am.

It should observe the identical three-session knockout format as standard qualifying, however every Q1, Q2 and Q3 section has been shortened to deal with engine and tyre considerations the groups had.

SQ1 has been shortened from 18 minutes to 12 minutes.

SQ2 has been shortened from quarter-hour to 10 minutes.

SQ3 has been shortened from 12 minutes to eight minutes.

The goal is that every automobile would solely have one flying lap in every session, though two runs might be completed in SQ1, whereas SQ2 and SQ3 would enable time for 2 timed laps with no pitstop in between makes an attempt.

The opposite important distinction between the Dash Shootout and common qualifying will probably be restrictions on tyre utilization.

Whereas groups are free to make use of any of their obtainable tyres in common qualifying, within the Dash Shootout new units of tyres will probably be necessary in every of the three elements, with medium compounds in SQ1 and SQ2 adopted by a swap to softs in SQ3.

Lights out for the Dash is at 2:30pm, with buildup reside on Sky Sports activities F1 from 1.30pm. The highest eight positions within the 100km race will declare factors, however it should haven’t any impression on Sunday’s grid positions.

System 1 is again! Watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix reside on Sky Sports activities F1 this weekend. Saturday’s Dash Shootout at 9am, the Dash at 1:30pm, and Sunday’s race at 12pm. Get Sky Sports activities