As the Formula One train rides into Baku this week there is the overwhelming sense that drama is not far behind. He dipped out to his Mercedes rival’s left, before jolting his car right to shunt Hamilton towards the wall. Vettel’s front wing was trashed, and Hamilton was now carrying damage of his own. That is exactly how it was for a time between Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo. ‘[Baku] was one of the little pieces,’ Ricciardo said at the time. ‘Valtteri really deserved to win and drove an exceptional race,’ Hamilton conceded. Bottas got back to his Baku hotel room and couldn’t keep it together. Twice in two years that Ricciardo had been part of a double retirement. And so when Hamilton reflects back, Baku will feel like a huge chance wasted.

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