Four penalties: Here’s the starting grid for the F1 race in Baku

A total of four penalties have reshuffled the starting grid for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: two penalties imposed by the race stewards following qualifying, and two penalties resulting from the replacement of components on the car beyond the permitted quota. Let’s take a look at them one by one.

Carlos Sainz loses five places

Let’s start with the most significant change: Carlos Sainz, who had actually secured his first top-10 grid position of the season in qualifying at Baku, will now start from 14th on the grid after all. It’s a bitter blow for the Williams driver, who had caused a minor sensation by making it through to Q3 in qualifying.

Sainz has been demoted from 9th to 14th place – a drop of five positions. The reason for this is that he failed to slow down under yellow flags. Shortly before the end of Q3, there was a brief yellow flag period, but Sainz did not ease off the throttle enough, even though he had noticed the yellow flags, as he later admitted (he said that the car which had triggered the yellow flags was no longer in the run-off area, so he had expected the yellow flags to be lifted – to summarise briefly).

Sergio Perez loses three places – in theory

Sergio Perez (Cadillac) has also been handed a grid penalty, albeit at the back of the field. He was handed a three-place grid penalty for obstructing Oscar Piastri in Q1 at turns 18, 19 and 20. Sergio Perez had qualified in 20th place on the grid, but cannot drop any further back due to the two Aston Martins (see below). Consequently, the Mexican will start from 20th on the grid. There is good news, however, for Perez’s team-mate Valtteri Bottas: he had only managed 22nd in qualifying, but moves up to 19th on the grid due to the penalties imposed on those ahead of him.

Fernando Alonso 30 places back, Lance Stroll 20

Aston Martin will start from the very back of the grid in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Nothing new there – but this time it is not (only) down to their on-track performance, but to penalties. Aston Martin replaced parts in both cars.

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Alonso has been handed a 30-place grid penalty as a result, whilst Stroll faces a 20-place penalty. Alonso replaced the internal combustion engine, the turbocharger and an additional component of the power unit. That resulted in a total penalty of 25 places. He then went on to replace the entire power unit as well (adding a further 5 places). Stroll replaced the turbocharger, battery, control electronics and an additional component of the power unit. This resulted in a total penalty of 20 places.

At the front, everything remains the same: George Russell retains pole position following his fabulous lap in Q3, followed by Charles Leclerc in second place. You can find the full starting grid below the article.