The glitz and glamor of the Monaco Grand Prix returns this weekend. This time of year is different for the microstate on the French Riviera as thousands anticipate Formula 1 cars flying around its streets. The city-state comes alive with the colorful liveries of the racing teams, the smell of burning rubber, and roaring engines.

The race calendar heads East from Spain, with Max Verstappen leading the Drivers standings for the first time this season. The Belgian-Dutch driver for Red Bull scored his third victory of the season and puts him six points ahead of Charles Leclerc. Furthermore, the one-two finish of Verstappen and Sergio Perez brings Red Bull racing to the top of the Constructor standings, overtaking the Scuderia.

There’s been controversy surrounding the track, mainly involving cars increasing in size. Overtaking points are scarcity on the narrow street circuit, which means pole position is of paramount importance. In fact, the qualifying stage is just as intense as race day. With anticipation growing stronger towards the weekend, Nitrobetting covers the top storylines ahead of the Monaco Grand Prix.

Top Storylines Ahead Of 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

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READ MORE: 2022 Azerbaijan Grand Prix F1 Odds, Preview, and Prediction

Azerbaijan is anyone’s race

This Grand Prix is known for bringing forth chaotic situations. Azerbaijan has seen four different winners in all four editions of the Grand Prix. Despite the winning drivers coming only from Mercedes and Red Bull in recent years, we expect Ferrari to lock horns with the top dogs this time.

It’s no surprise if we find that the two favorites do well in practice and qualifying as Verstappen tries to pull away from Leclerc. But, keep an eye on Mercedes, who have typically performed well in Baku. We could see the team in with a chance to grab their first P1 of the season after a series of disheartening races for Hamilton. In hindsight, Russell has been consistent for the team as he slices his Silver Arrow through the top five in seven consecutive races this season.

Furthermore, last season’s race saw Sebastian Vettel of Aston Martin and Pierre Gasly of AlphaTauri stepping on the podium. This result may seem unlikely to happen again, but it suggests that the odds for a podium finish remain wide open.

Ferrari hoping to bounce back from disappointing results

Charles Leclerc is having his best season so far and grabbed three pole positions in the last four races. Despite that, Red Bumm managed to close the gap and win all the races. Since his unlucky stint at the Australian GP, where they dismantled Red Bull wide open, its comeback has been nothing short of impressive.

Red Bull’s display of strength at Imola was apparent. This was followed by another superior race by Max Verstappen in Miami. The Austrian team had a bit of luck in Barcelona and Monaco, capitalizing on the misfortunes of Charles Leclerc and Ferrari’s poor team strategy.

Another clean slate opens up for the Scuderia. The Maranello-based Formula 1 team is desperate to take the Drivers’ Standings lead and close in on the top Constructors’ Championship spot.

Perez in the title race

Red Bull looks all in on backing Max Verstappen to help him win another title. However, the incident in the Spanish Grand Prix showed us that teammate Sergio Perez does not lack the pace needed to sit in front of the pack. The 32-year-old Mexican driver was instructed to give way to Verstappen to secure maximum points in the race. But whatever the case is, Sergio Perez cements himself in the top three with his victory in Monaco.

Perez looked more comfortable in Monaco. Even his Q3 crash didn’t bring him down, as he took full advantage of Ferrari’s lapses to grab his third career win. More than that, his other win before Monaco came in Baku about a year ago, so he returns to a familiar venue where he found success. He was impressive around the Baku street circuit coming from P6 and bagged points for Red Bull following Verstappen’s late tire blowout.

That said, Perez could gun for back-to-back wins for the first time in his career and overtake championship leader Charles Leclerc after the Azerbaijan GP.

McLaren looking for results from Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo’s last time on the podium was when he finished P1 in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. He failed to deliver another solid finish since, and by the time the recent Monaco GP was over, his partnership with McLaren looked more questionable. The race was another letdown for the Australian driver as he finished outside the points. It doesn’t help him that teammate Lando Norris produced better results and scored P6 in the same race.

Zak Brown openly admitted in an interview that the ex-Red Bull driver had not met the expectations that were set for him as he joined McLaren. Despite looking downhearted after the Monaco GP, Ricciardo is ready to give it another go in Baku. This is a chance for Ricciardo to regain momentum and stop the bleeding that appears to have started between him and his relationship with McLaren.

Closer racing at Baku

Last year’s dramatic two-lap finale was just one of the remarkable races in the 2021 season. More than that, the introduction of new cars and regulations expect more exciting racing to happen in Baku. The new regulations made it easier for drivers to go wheel-to-wheel racing and follow each other more closely to make moves. This proved to be true at several venues known for limited overtaking positions. The street circuit features long, flat sections that encourage passing opportunities. The combination of 2022 cars and the unique track equates to memorable racing for drivers, fans, and bettors alike.

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