The 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix (officially known as the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2021) was a Formula One motor race held on 6 June 2021 at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan. The race, the sixth round of the 2021 Formula One World Championship, marked the fourth running of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and the fifth time the country had hosted a Grand Prix, having also held the 2016 European Grand Prix.
Both championship contenders, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen, experienced problems during the 51-lap race; Verstappen retired due to a high-speed tyre blowout, while Hamilton made a severe error at the resultant restart. Their troubles cleared the way for Sergio Pérez, Verstappen's teammate, to win his second Grand Prix, following his victory at the 2020 Sakhir Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel took second place for his only podium with Aston Martin, and the final podium finish of his career, while Pierre Gasly claimed third place for AlphaTauri. After the race, tyre supplier Pirelli launched an investigation into the tyre failures which ended the races of Verstappen and Lance Stroll.
Background
The drivers and teams were the same as the season entry list with no additional stand-in drivers for the race. Tyre supplier Pirelli brought the C3, C4, and C5 tyre compounds (designated hard, medium, and soft, respectively) for teams to use at the event.
The race was held at the Baku City Circuit in Baku, Azerbaijan, and was contested over 51 laps. Mercedes and Red Bull were considered favourites to win the race.
Having won the previous race at Monaco, Max Verstappen, of Red Bull, entered the round holding a four-point lead in the World Driver's Championship ahead of rival Lewis Hamilton, who was driving for Mercedes. Red Bull also held a one-point lead over Mercedes in the World Constructors' Championship.
Practice
The first practice session started at 12:30 local time (UTC+4) on 4 June, with second practice session starting at 16:00 on the same day, with a third practice session due to start at 13:00 local time on 5 June, with a three sessions lasting one hour. The first session ended with the Red Bull Racing of Max Verstappen fastest ahead of the Ferrari duo of Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. Mercedes had a low key session with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in seventh fastest and tenth fastest respectively. Sergio Pérez was fastest in the second session ahead of Red Bull teammate Verstappen and Sainz. Leclerc finished 4th having caused a virtual safety car after hitting the barrier at turn 15. Nicholas Latifi caused a red flag after his Williams car's engine failed. The Mercedes pair Hamilton and Bottas once again struggled finishing 11th and 15th fastest respectively.
Qualifying
Report
Qualifying started at 16:00 local time on 5 June. Lance Stroll and Antonio Giovinazzi (both in Q1), Daniel Ricciardo (Q2), Yuki Tsunoda, and Carlos Sainz Jr. (both Q3) all had accidents resulting in four red flags over the course of qualifying, tying it with the 2016 Hungarian Grand Prix as a record for the most red flags in a qualifying session. George Russell changed his drivetrain before heading out for a flying lap, the Q1 red flags giving his pit crew extra time in the garage to make for a flying lap. Charles Leclerc took pole position for the second consecutive event from Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.
After qualifying, Lando Norris said he was left "gutted" after he was handed a three-place grid penalty as well as three-penalty points on his FIA Super Licence for failing to correctly follow the red flag procedures. Leclerc was surprised to be on pole and said he thought his pole lap was "quite shit". Hamilton hailed his second place on the grid a "monumental effort", while championship leader Max Verstappen was frustrated with third on the grid after what he described as "a stupid qualifying". Fernando Alonso, who qualified ninth, gave outspoken criticism of the fact that drivers who cause red flags are not punished, deeming it "unfair" that drivers who cause red flags are allowed to keep their grid positions. Valtteri Bottas was mystified with his qualifying performance after finishing down in tenth, eight positions behind teammate Hamilton, saying "something is wrong" with his car.
Qualifying classification
Notes
– Lando Norris received a three-place grid penalty for failing to comply with red flags in Q1. – Lance Stroll and Antonio Giovinazzi both failed to set a time during qualifying and were permitted to race at the stewards' discretion. Stroll was placed ahead of Giovinazzi because he had left the pit lane earlier during qualifying.