Round 06
Azerbaijan

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ARTICLE

Lee: “Lost focus” in shock Azerbaijan F1 qualifying crash

Lee Sunmi’s qualifying session was abruptly cut by crashing into the wall of Azerbaijan’s demanding Baku City Circuit.

The Porsche driver had topped the timing tables in Q1, but a brake issue rendered her on the sidelines by the time Q2 started. Porsche mechanics were able to fix the issue in time for Lee to do just one flying lap.

On that quick lap, Lee set purple times—the quickest of the day as well—in the first sector. However, the twisty part of the track in the second sector proved to be a challenge to the South Korean driver. Following a lock up, she crashed into the wall at Turn 9.

Having not set a time, Lee Sunmi is set to start in P15 for tomorrow’s Grand Prix.

“I just lost focus,” Lee told Fastsport reporters.

“The brake issues left me no time to prepare. I was rushing through the out lap just to have enough time to do one lap. I think I barely made it.

“And when I started the lap, it felt good. I knew I could put myself into Q3. But the tyres weren’t really in their best window, and I started to have doubts that I’d set a good pace through the second sector.

“Before I knew it, the fronts were locking up, and I crashed.

“I think tomorrow will be a better day. For sure,” Lee said when asked about her hopes for Sunday. “I’m out of position, so I should be able to make up decent places at the start.”

Pole position went to Charles Leclerc followed by Sergio Perez, and Max Verstappen. Sebastian Vettel, Byun Baekhyun, Fernando Alonso, Lewis Hamilton, George Russell, Esteban Ocon, and Lando Norris completed the top 10.

 

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COMMENTARY

2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Channel 4 Broadcast with Alex Jacques and Mark Webber

Lap 10 of 51

JACQUES: What’s this? A slow-moving Ferrari coming out of Turn 16!

(TEAM RADIO) – BYUN: **** the drive shaft. I can’t ******* accelerate.

(TEAM RADIO) – FERRARI: Copy. Try to make it back to the pits if you can.

JACQUES: Oh, and that’s heartbreak for the Ferrari driver! After winning the Grand Prix in Monaco, he finds himself trundling back to the pits with his second DNF of the season.

WEBBER: Poor guy just got his season started after last week.

JACQUES: Meanwhile, Verstappen has checked out. The Red Bull is 4.2 seconds ahead of his teammate, Sergio Perez, who is now having to defend against Sebastian Vettel who has Charles Leclerc right behind him as well.

WEBBER: Leclerc’s fired up. After losing places at the start, he just wants to get back up on that podium.

Lap 23 of 51

WEBBER: Daniel Ricciardo is not having a great time. I can tell you that. Stuck behind the AlphaTauri. He needs to make this move. He’s just killing his tyres.

JACQUES: He’s shaping up for the move now. Late-braking, can he do it? And he does! The last of the late brakers! Daniel Ricciardo makes the move on Pierre Gasly for 10th position.

(TEAM RADIO) – Ricciardo: Whoo, let’s go. Who’s next?

JACQUES: (laughs) He’s on a roll now! And oh! Who’s this? A car with smoke coming from the back!

WEBBER: Leclerc! It’s Leclerc!

JACQUES: Charles Leclerc! The engine of the Ferrari has expired! One Ferrari already out of the race due to technical issues, and the second Ferrari now has to retire as well! It’s let him down once again! Byun Baekhyun out. Charles Leclerc out. What a horrendous day for Ferrari! And for the second time in three races, Charles Leclerc is out.

WEBBER: Wow. Ferrari needs to sort this out. They’ve got two extremely skilled drivers—a young gun in Charles, and a proven champion in Baekhyun—and they’re wasting their talents. Not only that, they’re losing precious points in the championship. They can’t afford to have any more of these reliability issues.