Event of the Day: Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Our event of the day is the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit. Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari won his third successive pole position of the season in yesterday’s qualifying with a 1:41.498 lap time. The four-time world champion from Germany leads the driver standings with 54 points from the first three races, nine more than the reigning champion Lewis Hamilton. The first four drivers from the championship standings will line up in that order on the grid, as Hamilton took second place in qualifying, in front of his Mercedes’ teammate Valtteri Bottas in third; while Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo, winner of the Chinese Grand Prix two weeks ago, will start fourth.
Ricciardo, who also won last season’s inaugural race in Baku, beat his teammate Max Verstappen in the dying stages of the Q3 by just 0.083s, so the Dutchman will start fifth. Alongside him in the third row on the grid will be Ferrari’s Kimi Räikkönen. The Finn was on his way to beating Vettel’s time but made a mistake in the final sector. Esteban Ocon and Sergio Pérez will start from the fourth row, following the first appearance in Q3 this season for both Force India cars. Renault’s drivers, Nico Hülkenberg and Carlos Sainz Jr., finished ninth and tenth, but the German received a five-place grid penalty, which opened the door for Lance Stroll of Williams who completes the top ten. We can expect an excellent race on the streets of Baku today.
Honourable mentions around the globe go to the Premier League match between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford in Manchester. United are second in the table with 74 points and reached the FA cup final last Saturday after a 2-1 win over Tottenham. The Gunners face the hosts in between their crucial Europa League semi-final legs against Atlético Madrid, drawing the first game at home on Thursday, 1-1. In the AFL, Fremantle take on West Coast Eagles at Perth Stadium in a local derby. The Dockers are 11th in the ladder with 12 points, while the Eagles hold third position with 16 points. It’s the fourth and final day of the Volvo China Open at the Topwin Golf and Country Club in Beijing. The fifth and last stage from Mont-sur-Rolle to Geneva takes place in the Tour de Romandie. In the Aviva Premiership, Wasps clash with Northampton Saints at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry. The World Championship in snooker continues at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. It’s the final day of the ATP Tour’s Barcelona Open at the Real Club de Tenis in Barcelona. It’s Day 3 of the County Championship Division One duel between Lancashire and Surrey at Old Trafford in Manchester. In the Scottish Premier League it is the Old Firm derby between Celtic and Rangers at Celtic Park in Glasgow.
Whatever you’re watching, enjoy!
Fixture
Photos by Formula 1