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Mercedes set an all-time record of four consecutive doubles at the start of the season. Valtteri Bottas defeated Lewis Hamilton to win the Azerbaijani Grand Prix.
For the fourth race in a row, Ferrari has not been able to challenge Mercedes. Questions were also asked about the strategy chosen by the Italian team.
Sebastian Vettel finished third, never far behind the Mercedes, but his teammate Charles Leclerc finished fifth when he looked a little longer than he could have taken fourth place ahead of Red Bull's Max Verstappen.
Leclerc's consolation during a weekend that he had seemed to dominate until his qualifications made a point in the fastest lap.
The result makes Mercedes the first team to start the season so dominant and places its drivers in an enviable position in the championship.
Bottas takes the lead in the championship and leads Hamilton by the point that he won for the fastest lap in Australia. Vettel is 35 points behind.
Mercedes in total control
Hamilton defeated Bottas in the last two rounds in search of victory, but made a mistake in dismissing the last corner just as the Finn was getting help from the DRS overtaker as he approached George Russell. , Williams, and the leader.
Bottas almost lost the lead early, when Hamilton joined the Finn in lap 1 after a better start since the second on the grid.
But Hamilton gave Bottas plenty of room on the outside, which allowed him to stay out of turns 2 and 3, after which he controlled the race.
Mercedes has the best car, but the margins seem to be quite small. But Ferrari makes it easy for them.
Leclerc could have won if he had not fallen in qualifying, the question of the strategy of the tires of wanting to start on the mediums and the way the team managed the Leclerc race are discussed.
What was Ferrari doing with Leclerc?
Leclerc's offensive strategy, starting with medium tires, was the main interest of the race.
The 21-year-old started eighth after falling in qualifying, while he was the weekend favorite. Once cleared midfield, he began to sneak between the two teams.
On the 11th lap, he had caught up with Vettel, whom Ferrari was immediately calling from the pits for mediums, and Mercedes followed the German with Bottas and Hamilton on consecutive laps.
That put Leclerc in the lead, he had to go far on mediums and hope to fight with new soft tires in the final stages.
Bottas, Hamilton and Vettel came closer and the Finn was in Leclerc 's lineup on lap 31 and dubbed him later.
Leclerc immediately pleaded for new tires, but the team told him they wanted to wait because they feared that the softs would not make it to the end.
But they waited only two laps – during which Leclerc lost eight seconds against Bottas, at least a second of which was caused by the abandonment of teammate Vettel.
That left Leclerc more than 20 seconds behind Verstappen and fifth.
Driver of the day
What they said
Bottas: "It was a tough race, even though there was not much going on in the front, Lewis was putting the pressure on but everything was under control, so I'm happy to take the checkered flag and take first place."
Hamilton: "Congratulations to Valtteri, he did a fantastic race, without making a mistake, and deserved the win, everything was lost in qualifying, it's great for the team and it's great. the best start to the season of the season. "
Vettel"The first stint was really mediocre, I fought for the tires to work, then I damaged them, and when they heated, I could not use them properly, they were damaged and I could not feel in trust." the car – it's not so good here.
"In the last four races, we were not quite there, so we are not favorites for Barcelona, we have some improvements to come and we need to continue."
What happens next?
Formula 1 is racing for the first time in Europe at the Spanish Grand Prix. It was on this track that Ferrari appeared so well during pre-season testing, which led Mercedes to believe that it would start the season with a delay. As they were wrong – and how much Ferrari needs to win there if this season does not have to be a waste of time for them.
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