Ralf Schumacher has told Max Verstappen to either leave Formula 1 or accept the new Sprint Race weekend format, which will debut at the upcoming Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
The 'Sprint Shootout' gets introduced this weekend and will set the grid for Saturday's Sprint Race, which means the grid for Sunday's Grand Prix is now determined by Friday's qualifying.
It leaves just one free practice session in Baku with FP2 and 3 being replaced, and is the first of six Sprint Race weekends in 2023 after only hosting three in 2021 and 2022.
This comes after Verstappen issued a 'quit threat' if F1 continues to make race weekend changes, but Schumacher believes the championship will thrive either way.
"The past, the present and the future have shown or will show that Formula 1 is much bigger than any individual," he told Sky Sports Germany.
"Bernie Ecclestone is also gone, and without him Formula 1 wouldn't exist - and now it’s more successful than ever.
"So Verstappen should either pack his things and leave, or just accept it as it is. I understand his attitude because there are a lot of risks.
"But still, he gets paid to do it. If he wants to go, then he has to go. Formula 1 will not perish, as much I love him."
Guenther Steiner has hailed the changes saying it is what fans want, and believes F1 could eventually keep adding the format to more race weekends.
"I don't know if we will do it every race weekend," the Haas team principal told Reuters. "Maybe do a few more or maybe do half of the calendar - the F1 promoter will know what to do.
"At the moment, there is more demand for races [than slots available] so how can you get more races in, more competition, more racing if we cannot do more than 24 events? So just make the event double count."
Will Baku finally have a repeat winner?
In six previous races at Baku, there has been a different winner each time. Nico Rosberg won its inaugural Grand Prix in 2016, before Daniel Ricciardo, Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Sergio Perez and defending winner Verstappen all stood on the top step.
With two of that six no longer in F1 and Bottas now in an Alfa Romeo, chances are only three of them are in with a shot of victory. However, given Red Bull have dominated the opening three races to this season, they will be odds-on favourite to win again on Sunday.
To many, the battle will be between Perez and Verstappen with the double world champion currently 15 points ahead of his team-mate in the standings. If Red Bull wins again, then that will extend Hamilton’s winless run to 27 - his worst in F1 - after Mercedes have struggled since the start of 2022.
However, Fernando Alonso has stood on the podium in each race this season. Therefore, should Red Bull encounter any problems then maybe the Aston Martin driver will extend Baku's record.
Charles Leclerc faces worst ever start to F1 season
Charles Leclerc's retirement in Australia means he is the first Ferrari driver since Felipe Massa in 2009 to have two DNFs in the opening three races of a season. For the other round, Saudi Arabia, he only finished seventh which leaves Leclerc 10th in the championship on six points.
It is a stark contrast to this time 12 months ago, where the Ferrari driver was leading the championship by 34 points after winning two of the opening three races. Should he fail to score a point in Baku then that will make it Leclerc's worst start to an F1 season, despite driving for Alfa Romeo in his debut year.
Championship Standings
Drivers
Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 69Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 54Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 45Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 38Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 20
Constructors
Red Bull 123Aston Martin 65Mercedes 56Ferrari 26McLaren 12
Piastri fends off Leclerc in thrilling Azerbaijan GP
Oscar Piastri held off Charles Leclerc to claim his second win of the Formula 1 season in a dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
And the Australian's victory means McLaren have leapfrogged Red Bull in the constructors' championship after an impressive run.
Leclerc started on pole in Baku for the fourth time in a row, and, after winning in Monza last time out, put himself in a good position to get a second consecutive win after a strong start.
However, Piastri took advantage on a straight in the 20th lap, stealing in front of the Ferrari, who he managed to hold off in the latter stages despite a spirited fightback from Leclerc.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris started in P15 after struggling in qualifying, but after a brilliant opening stint, he then slipped in front of his championship rival Max Verstappen with two laps remaining, eventually finishing fourth.
There was still a thrilling finish, as Sergio Perez, who has scored the most points in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and Carlos Sainz both pushed to clinch the final podium spot and tangled in a huge crash on the penultimate lap, taking both of them out of the race.
George Russell benefitted from that to claim third, while his Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton finished in ninth after a pit-lane start for taking a new engine ahead of the race.
Data Debrief: McLaren gain the edge
McLaren now have a 20-point lead over Red Bull in the championship. It is the first time the team have held the lead after at least 17 Grands Prix since Brazil in 2005.
It was quite the result for Piastri, who has now finished in the top two in four of his last five F1 races (winner in Hungary and Azerbaijan, runner-up in Belgium and Italy). That is more than he managed in his previous 34 Grand Prix.
Norris will be pleased with his own exploits though, given where he started on the grid, and by nipping in front of Verstappen, he keeps his hopes alive in the drivers' championship. The gap is now 59 points.
Top 10
1. Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
2. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
3. George Russell (Mercedes)
4. Lando Norris (McLaren)
5. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
6. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
7. Alex Albon (Williams)
8. Franco Colapinto (Williams)
9. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes)
10. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
Drivers'
1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull) - 313
2. Lando Norris (McLaren) - 254
3. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) - 235
Constructors'
1. McLaren - 476
2. Red Bull - 456
3. Ferrari - 425
Verstappen laments Red Bull changes that 'made the car worse' in Baku
Max Verstappen was left frustrated in qualifying for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, saying that the changes made by Red Bull had "made the car worse".
Verstappen could only manage sixth place for Sunday's race, while he was outqualified by team-mate Sergio Perez, who finished fourth, for the first time this season.
The three-time world champion has made his feelings clear about the team's performance of late, citing balance issues as a main cause of concern.
The team seemingly took a step forward in their performance following an imperfect weekend in Monza, with Perez finishing just 0.006s behind pole-sitter Charles Leclerc in FP2.
However, their improvements appeared to diminish in qualifying around Baku, with both drivers unable to stop Leclerc from taking his fourth pole position in Baku.
Verstappen has now gone six Grands Prix without a pole, his worst streak since 2021, and detailed the reasons for their slight downturn in performance.
"From the first lap that I did in qualifying I was not happy with the car, and I just tried to drive around it," Verstappen said.
"When you're not confident and comfortable with the car on a street circuit, you cannot push to the limit and I think basically that's what happened.
"As soon as it matters, people start risking more.
"I just didn't feel comfortable to attack because the car was just very difficult, jumping a lot, losing contact with the tarmac, so not very nice.
"Of course, I went off in the last corner, which also didn't help, so all in all quite disappointing.”
The Dutchman's team-mate was similarly disheartened despite producing his best qualifying performance since the Belgian Grand Prix.
Perez has historically flourished in Baku and is the only driver on the grid who has won multiple times at this circuit.
While the Mexican has the opportunity to add to the 100 points he has already accumulated in Azerbaijan, he acknowledged the enormity of the task of toppling the two Ferraris.
"First of all, I'm a bit disappointed because I felt like P2 on a perfect lap should have been possible," Perez explained.
"I had a scrappy sector two where I probably missed a tenth, a tenth and a half. It's probably the same for everyone though.
"Ferrari were in another league, but I think a further lap would’ve been good. We'll see tomorrow.
"We are very different to everyone else, so we'll see what we are able to do come tomorrow and see what we are able to achieve.
"I think definitely on the first stint I should be strong.
"It will be down to the amount of progress I’m able to make, and then from then on just head down, and hopefully we are able to be as strong in the race.
"That will be very important.”
Gasly disqualified from Azerbaijan GP qualifying over fuel breach
Pierre Gasly has been disqualified from the results of qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as stewards deemed his Alpine car over the fuel flow limit.
Gasly was eliminated in the second qualifying session, after posting a time which was good enough for 13th, ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Haas and Lance Stroll of Aston Martin.
However, shortly after the session's end, stewards summoned Alpine and Gasly over a possible breach of Article 5.2.3 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations, which covers fuel mass flow.
This punishment means Gasly will start Sunday's race at the back of the grid alongside Sauber's Zhou Guanyou, who also suffered a penalty this weekend, as the Chinese driver had exceeded the allowance of power unit components.
Gasly's teammate, Esteban Ocon, will start the race just ahead of both in 18th, with the opportunity of Alpine gaining points in Baku this weekend looking very slim.
This is the fourth time a driver has been disqualified from qualifying results in 2024, with Gasly following Willliams' Alex Albon and the Haas duo of Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen.
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