Azerbaijan Grand Prix Stars: No place for Hamilton or Raikkonen

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix once again turned Formula 1 on its head as a crazy race made a mockery of the accepted truths 2018 has established in the early weeks. Lewis Hamilton might have emerged victorious in Baku, but neither the new championship leader or second-place Kimi Raikkonen feature in our star drivers. So, who made the cut?

Charles Leclerc - Started 13th / Finished 6th

Leclerc has had a tough start to his F1 career, being outqualified in the first two races by team-mate Marcus Ericsson, who also scored points in Bahrain. But those within Sauber knew a result was coming Leclerc's way sooner or later and, after scoring pole, fastest lap, and the win here last year in F2, it was perhaps no surprise that he shone this weekend.

The failings of others certainly helped Leclerc along the way during Sunday's race, but he put himself in position to capitalise on those opportunities and deserves credit for that. Qualifying 13th represented the team's best Saturday showing since the Bahrain Grand Prix a year ago, setting his weekend off to the perfect start.

While more seasoned drivers lost their cool, Leclerc kept his, and it showed as he moved up to seventh as early as lap 11, and then spent seven tours shadowing Raikkonen until he pitted on lap 24. Leclerc survived the frantic second safety-car restart, and the threat of Fernando Alonso behind, to become the first Monegasque driver to score points in F1 since 1950.

Sebastian Vettel - Started 1st / Finished 4th

Vettel's inclusion may seem strange considering he lost the race through a botched overtake on Valtteri Bottas, but his overall performance during the weekend earns him his spot.

Firstly, for the third race in a row Vettel secured pole position, the first time he has enjoyed such a streak in almost five years. Raikkonen may have pipped him had the Finn not made a mistake on his final run, but Vettel's lap was superb and most importantly at a circuit like Baku, error free.

Despite dominating for 47 laps, a certain victory slipped from his grasp as the Red Bulls wiped each other out, allowing Bottas to pit and retain track position ahead, much to the German's frustration.

Vettel loses some marks for his sloppy overtake attempt on Bottas, but he gains some of those back for at least going for it - many drivers would have settled for second. But for the timing of the second safety car, Vettel would have won and he'll have no regrets over his performance this weekend.

Valtteri Bottas - Started 3rd / Finished 14th

After a tough opening weekend in Melbourne, Bottas has bounced back strongly and, for the third race in succession, looked to be the more likely of the Mercedes drivers to challenge for victory.

Bottas once again showed he is capable of leading Mercedes' charge given the opportunity, and his impressive tyre management brought him into play for the win as Hamilton slipped below his usual high standards.

A puncture with three laps remaining was a cruel end to an otherwise stellar day, but Bottas once again proved himself capable of delivering exactly the sort of performances he needs if he is to extend his stay with Mercedes.

Sergio Perez - Started 8th / Finished 3rd

Perez has a habit of being in the right place at the right time, and he showed that again in Baku. Third place was a tremendous result from eighth on the grid and a massive boost for a Force India team that has endured a poor start to the season.

Although there was an element of fortune to his result, there is no coincidence that Perez is the one who tends to step up on days like this. When he was rear-ended on lap one by Sergey Sirotkin and pitched into contact with the Ferrari of Raikkonen, any hope of a decent points finish looked to be over as he was forced to stop for a new front wing.

Fortunately for Force India, Perez is absolutely sublime at this circuit and seemed to be a man on a mission. Taking the first safety-car restart from 15th, he passed no fewer than six cars on track, including a late move on Vettel to clinch third place much to the surprise of his team.

He described defending third from Vettel late on as "the best two laps" of his career.

Fernando Alonso - Started 12th / Finished 7th

Qualifying has been McLaren's Achilles heel this season, but in Alonso they possess a driver who never gives up, and more often than not will move forwards in a race regardless of his car's outright pace.

First-lap contact with Sirotkin was not the start he or McLaren were looking for, and it led to significant damage and an expletive-laden radio rant from the Spaniard. Wrestling with the car as he brought it back to the pits on two wheels, Alonso's race looked done, but he had other ideas.

When racing resumed after the early chaos, Alonso was 17th. Five laps later, the two-time champion was ahead of team-mate Stoffel Vandoorne and he caught the tail of the points-paying places after five more.

A late tussle with Lance Stroll went the veteran's way, as his seventh-place finish retained fourth in the constructors' standings for McLaren ahead of Renault, prompting Alonso to herald "probably one of the best" races in his storied career.