The traditional crazy nature of Baku always promotes an unpredictable race!
Esteban would start from thirteenth on the grid following Qualifying and he held position in the early stages of the race.
The race was on when a Virtual Safety Car was deployed on lap 9. Esteban decided to stay out and not pit, keeping on his same set of Hard compound tyres he started the race on.
This would move him into the top-ten point scoring positions following the end of the VSC period.
Esteban was on the defensive against pursuers with newer tyres. The French driver ultimately made his mandatory pit-stop on lap 33 before benefiting from another virtual safety car, coming out in eleventh position.
When the battle resumed, Esteban managed to move his way into P10 and the final points paying position.
Esteban managed to hold position and secure a point for the team after a difficult and challenging afternoon - taking his sixth top ten finish of the season.
Esteban Ocon (Started P13, Finished P10):
“It was a really tough race today, so we’re glad to walk away with two cars in the points and another top ten. As always, we will analyse everything with the team to see where we can make improvements. We were fast Friday and Saturday. We may have had a bit of bad luck in the qualifying, which didn’t help our position on the track this Sunday. All things considered, there was certainly potential to do better.
Nonetheless, we can leave Baku on a positive note. We are already looking forward to returning to Canada next weekend. Our objective is to continue scoring points.”
Formula One returns to Montreal for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic next weekend at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the 17-19 June.
