P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 star CLOSE to securing shock grid return
A report surfaced that a well-known Formula 1 driver was close to making a surprising return to the track at the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix. McLaren did not make it to the podium in Baku, with Max Verstappen winning the race, and George Russell and Carlos Sainz following behind. Russell faced health challenges during the weekend due to a respiratory infection, affecting his ability to communicate clearly. Toto Wolff revealed that Russell was on the verge of being replaced by Valtteri Bottas due to his health condition, but Russell ultimately drove and performed exceptionally well. Bottas will serve a five-second penalty he acquired in Abu Dhabi during his debut race with Cadillac in Melbourne next year. In other F1 news, Lewis Hamilton faced a penalty at the Baku Grand Prix, and the championship battle took a significant turn in Verstappen’s favor.
