Max Verstappen and Jolyon Palmer - Photo: Race Pictures

These two drivers pinpointed as serious contenders for Baku win

08:13, 18 Sep

Updated: 10:21, 18 Sep

byTobia Elia

Jolyon Palmer believes Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc could be serious contenders for victory in Baku this weekend.

Max Verstappen - Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

"The way he's going and the way that Red Bull are, he'll be a threat."

- Jolyon Palmer

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, the former Renault driver believes the Dutchman could perform well even on a track like the Azerbaijani circuit, coming off his dominant win in Monza: "I expect him to be right there again. I think the key thing is that the Red Bull is competitive in the low downforce configuration.

"They obviously found something in Monza. They found a good balance to go with the trimmed out wing. Baku, they'll be trimming out that wing again to a similar level.

The Englishman believes that Verstappen, in light of Red Bull’s recent return to form, could be a threat to the two McLarens this weekend as well.

"He can hustle it round. He doesn't mind the floaty feeling he gains on the straights and doesn't lose so much in the corners. It's not one of his best circuits historically, but I still think with the way he's going and the way that Red Bull are, he'll be a threat."

Can Leclerc also fight for win in Baku?

Charles Leclerc in Monza. Photo Race Pictures

"Charles is such a baku specialist that he will be in pole contention"

- Jolyon Palmer

Coming off four consecutive poles at the Azerbaijani track, Palmer believes the Monegasque could also be in the mix this weekend, at least in qualifying, despite the SF25 not having secured a win this year.

"I think he can," he said. ''I still think that Ferrari underperformed a little bit recently for their car. In Monza, in the end, they weren't that far away. I know Charles struggled in the early part of the race and was overtaken by Oscar, having had the dice with him at the start.

"They were super low downforce then, and there was probably a better compromise to be had, and Baku, they'll probably find it, because it's a slightly different track where you need a bit more cornering. Because I think Charles is such a Baku specialist, he will be in pole contention.

Palmer believes that if Leclerc manages to start from the front, he could also compete strongly in the race: "This is the sort of circuit where he just delivers the laps. Race pace, it's not as good as quali pace, but if he starts at the front, I'm still going with it. I'm still going Ferrari to win a race and I'm going to keep saying it until they do."