DAMS Lucas Oil’s Jak Crawford secured his second pole position of the season in a dramatic Formula 2 qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, surviving multiple red flags and chaos on the streets of Baku.
The American driver’s path to pole was far from straightforward, with three separate red flag incidents disrupting what should have been a routine 30-minute qualifying session. Crawford ultimately prevailed with a lap time that stood from the early stages of the Formula 2 Qualifying session, as subsequent attempts were thwarted by crashes and safety interventions.
A session of survival
Speaking to the media, including Pit Debrief, following his pole-securing performance during, Crawford acknowledged the unconventional nature of his achievement in Azerbaijan. “Yeah, it was a chaotic one. Lots of stress. You never want to get a pole exactly this way,” he admitted. “I mean, I don’t really care how I get a pole, but this way put a lot of pressure on the last two laps. So we thought we’re going to be the last two laps before they were red flagged. And in the end, it all mattered on the first run.”
The qualifying session began with Crawford setting an early benchmark time of 1:56.179, though he was soon displaced by Roman Staněk and Alex Dunne. However, it was Crawford’s response after the first red flag—caused by Zane Maloney hitting the barriers at Turn 13—that proved decisive. The American crossed the line with a commanding 1:54.791, four tenths faster than his nearest rival.
Crawford’s fortune extended beyond mere pace, as he narrowly avoided disaster when fellow competitor Victor Martins crashed ahead of him. “I almost ran into Victor [Martins] when he crashed because I was literally the next car behind him,” Crawford revealed. “And yeah, kept my nose clean, got a good lap in after the first red flag and it was good enough for pole.”
Confidence despite chaos
Despite the disrupted nature of the session, Crawford expressed satisfaction with his team’s preparation and performance level. When asked about sitting on provisional pole whilst uncertainty surrounded whether the session would continue, he displayed characteristic composure.
“Honestly, I didn’t mind if it got cancelled or if it went forward. You know, I feel like I had enough pace today that we were going to fight for pole no matter what,” Crawford stated. “And yeah, it’s a shame that we didn’t get to see everyone’s true pace today. But you know, we’re on pole and that’s all that matters.”
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Bouncing back from Monza disappointment
Crawford’s pole position represents a significant rebound following a disappointing weekend at Monza, where the American endured a series of setbacks beyond his control. The parallels to his season-opening struggles weren’t lost on the DAMS Lucas Oil driver.
“Get the pole here after such a tough round. It feels like, you know, similar to what we did in back in the beginning of the season, where we had a tough round in Bahrain and came back with a pole in Jeddah,” Crawford explained. “You know, there were tonnes of issues out of me and the team’s control in Monza, which meant that I just dropped through the field in the races.”
The frustration of Monza, where Crawford left pointless despite showing competitive pace, clearly motivated his Baku performance. “Unfortunately, there was nothing we could do about that. And, yeah, knowing that I could have had two strong results that weekend and coming away with no points hurts and to come back with a pole like this, it’s… I feel like it’s exactly what, you know, me and the team, we prepare to do every week.”
Looking ahead to Sunday’s Feature Race
With pole position secured, Crawford now faces the challenge of converting his grid advantage into race victory. Historically, Baku has proved difficult for pole-sitters, with only two drivers managing to win from the front row in recent years. However, Crawford approaches Sunday’s feature race with quiet confidence.
“Pretty well. Yeah, I really like this track and I feel like we have a good car this weekend. The race pace seemed pretty good in pre-practise from, you know, we were able to improve into the end, unlike some others,” he assessed. “So yeah, I feel like the pace is good and I have no doubt that we’ll be fast in the race. Usually, the race is always our strong point. So now starting at the front of the race, you know, no reason we can’t fight for the win with a good strategy.”
Defending current Qualifying format
When asked by Pit Debrief whether the multiple red flags in Azerbaijan suggested Formula 2 street circuit qualifying formats needed re-evaluation, Crawford defended the current 30-minute session structure. “I think it’s just something you need to accept. And, you know, of course, it’s the same for everyone,” he reasoned.
Crawford argued that split qualifying sessions, used at venues like Monaco, actually provide fewer opportunities rather than more. “It just, I feel like it gives you less opportunity. It gives you only one run, and on that one run, you can easily get a red flag that messes you up. I mean, you can get tonnes of red flags as well that mess you up here, but I just feel like having a 30-minute session, it’s more in your hands.”
The American emphasised the strategic element of the current format: “You know, you can go straight away at the green. If you want, you can overtake everyone to be the first to start the lap, and that’s on you. So, for me, I’m pretty happy with what we have here.”
The thrill and challenge of Baku
Crawford also reflected on Baku’s unique characteristics as a street circuit, describing it as one of the most mentally demanding venues on the calendar. “I think, along with Monaco, it might be the most stressful track we go to, just because every time right when you hit the brake, there’s a chance that you go straight into the wall or straight into the run-off,” he explained.
“And a lot of times, especially in qualifying or on a very quick lap, you don’t know if you’re going to make it until you’re at the apex. And it’s kind of a bit the thrill of this track.”
The American admitted that Baku’s challenges exceeded his initial expectations. “I remember before I came here, I said it doesn’t really look like a street circuit because you’re not driving really close to the walls. But I remember the first time I drove here, I was fairly surprised how scary the corners come up,” he said.
With pole position secured and confidence high, Crawford will be hoping to translate his qualifying success into a much-needed victory when the Formula 2 field takes to the streets of Baku in Azerbaijan, for Sunday’s feature race.
