Results - Azerbaijan Grand Prix
We had our first no-shows for a while this week with @Whiskey and @Coma making no predictions. At least from their points of view, this weekend was one of the lowest scoring ones we've seen so they didn't lose as much ground as usual.
Qualifying first, and only two of the eight that predicted correctly went for Charles Leclerc to bag his fourth consecutive pole position in Baku, with the rest of the field plumping for Lando Norris. 5 points each to @RandoEFC and @DeadLinesman. Also resolved on Saturday was the bonus question, where @OrangeKhrush was the only person to correctly pick Esteban Ocon as the lowest qualifier (outside of the two Saubers). 5 points to him as well.
Race day didn't see anyone score more than dribs and drabs really. Nobody put Oscar Piastri down for victory, although 2 points each go to @Stan, @MUFC, @Tommy, @nudge and @Dave who all included him among their top three. @Dave was the only one to pick up 5 points at all for a podium finisher, correctly calling P2 for Charles Leclerc for 5 points. @RandoEFC, @Tommy, @DeadLinesman and @OrangeKhrush take home 2 each for putting him elsewhere in their top three. The dramatic late crash that saw Perez and Sainz taken out of the race saw @RandoEFC pick up an extra 2 points in fortuitous circumstances. The Mercedes 1-2 couldn't have been a worse shout but Russell's podium sees him pick up 2 consolation points.
Finally, Franco Colapinto was this week's random driver, and his 8th place confounded everyone's expectations. 2 points here go to @nudge, whose heady prediction of 14th is as close as anyone got to doing Colapinto justice.
Here's how the standings look:
With nobody breaching double figures this week, steady progress is made by @RandoEFC, whose 9 points was the highest of the weekend and sees him extend his championship lead to 9 points. There isn't much change in the rest of the table with plenty of close battles going on between 1st and 8th.
McLaren's 16 points is a pitiful return but still comfortably the best of anyone this weekend, seeing them back to the top of the ever-changing Constructors' table. Aston Martin and Ferrari were given an extra 2 points each as a part of the missing driver "insurance policy". The top three teams are still separated by only 12 points and any could come out of the next weekend in front.
Don't forget we have the season-long predictions to come as well! I've started looking at which of these can be "paid out" and I may try to do a preview on how things look before the end of the year.