Formula 1: Valtteri Bottas takes pole for 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Valtteri Bottas took the pole position for the fourth race on the 2019 Formula 1 schedule, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, at Baku City Circuit.

Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport’s Valtteri Bottas took his second pole position of the 21-race 2019 Formula 1 season by taking the pole position for the season’s fourth race, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, at Baku City Circuit.

As a result, the 29-year-old Finn became the first driver to take two pole positions so far this season, as he also took the pole position for the season’s third race, the Chinese Grand Prix.

Bottas took the pole position for the 51-lap race around the 20-turn, 3.73-mile (6.003-kilometer) Baku City Circuit temporary street circuit in Azadliq Square, Baku, Azerbaijan by recording a top lap time of 100.495 seconds (133.619 miles per hour) in the third and final round of qualifying for the race.

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Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton qualified in second place alongside his teammate. He recorded a top lap time of 100.544 seconds (133.540 miles per hour) in the third and final round of qualifying, a lap time that was just 0.059 seconds (0.079 miles per hour) slower than the top lap time of Bottas.

Scuderia Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel qualified in third place alongside Aston Martin Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, who qualified in fourth. SportPesa Racing Point’s Sergio Perez is set to round out the top five on the starting grid after qualifying in fifth place.

Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Daniil Kvyat, McLaren rookie Lando Norris and Alfa Romeo Racing teammates Antonio Giovinazzi, a rookie, and Kimi Raikkonen are set to round out the top nine on the starting grid after qualifying in sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth place, respectively.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc qualified in 10th place for the race, but he did not participate in the third and final round of qualifying for it. He finished in sixth in the second round of qualifying to advance to the third and final round, but he crashed during the second round, resulting in heavy damage to his car that prevented him from going back out on the track. His crash caused a lengthy delay.

McLaren’s Carlos Sainz Jr., Renault’s Daniel Ricciardo, Toro Rosso rookie Alexander Albon, Rich Energy Haas’ Kevin Magnussen and Red Bull Racing’s Pierre Gasly were eliminated following the second round of qualifying for the race and are set to start in 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th place, respectively.

Racing Point’s Lance Stroll, Haas’ Romain Grosjean, Renault’s Nico Hulkenberg and ROKiT Williams Racing teammates George Russell, a rookie, and Robert Kubica were eliminated following the first round of qualifying for the race and are set to start in 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th place, respectively. Kubica crashed during this opening round of qualifying, causing a lengthy delay.

Here are the full qualifying results for the 2019 Azerbaijan Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit.

Qualifying Results
1st – Valtteri Bottas
2nd – Lewis Hamilton
3rd – Sebastian Vettel
4th – Max Verstappen
5th – Sergio Perez
6th – Daniil Kvyat
7th – Lando Norris
8th – Antonio Giovinazzi
9th – Kimi Raikkonen
10th – Charles Leclerc
11th – Carlos Sainz Jr.
12th – Daniel Ricciardo
13th – Alexander Albon
14th – Kevin Magnussen
15th – Pierre Gasly
16th – Lance Stroll
17th – Romain Grosjean
18th – Nico Hulkenberg
19th – George Russell
20th – Robert Kubica

The live broadcast of tomorrow’s Formula 1 race, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, is set to begin at 8:10 a.m. ET. on ESPN2. Be sure not to miss the action from the 2019 season’s fourth race at Baku City Circuit.