As we enter race week ahead of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, let’s take a look back at what happened in last year’s edition, which was won by Max Verstappen ahead of George Russell, while Carlos Sainz sprang a surprise by securing his first podium with Williams.
Verstappen arrived in Baku with the momentum of his Monza victory and converted pole position into another win in dominant fashion. Carlos Sainz lined up alongside him on the front row, with Liam Lawson and Kimi Antonelli behind them, but the race was thrown into chaos before the opening lap had even been completed.
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Oscar Piastri moved before the lights went out, triggering his anti-stall system and dropping down the order. The McLaren driver then lost control at Turn 5 and crashed into the barriers, bringing out the Safety Car and ending the championship leader’s race almost immediately.
The restart came at the end of Lap 4, with Verstappen immediately putting distance between himself and Sainz. The Williams driver settled into a strong second place, while Lawson initially remained close enough to apply some pressure.
Verstappen, however, was already beginning to establish control at the front. Behind the leading group, George Russell recovered from a difficult opening phase, while Lando Norris struggled to make any real progress after starting seventh and found himself caught behind Charles Leclerc.
As the race settled into its rhythm, Verstappen focused on managing his tyres and building the gap rather than pushing unnecessarily. Red Bull eventually brought him in for a switch from hard to medium tyres, but the stop did little to alter the order at the front. Verstappen returned to the track with a substantial advantage and was never seriously threatened for the remainder of the afternoon.
Photo: Race Pictures
Photo: Race Pictures
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The fight for the podium was a different story. Russell steadily reeled Sainz in during the second half of the race, with the Mercedes driver eventually finding a way past to take second. Sainz could not respond, but he still had enough pace and composure to protect third place from the drivers behind him. The result marked his first podium since joining Williams and gave the team its first top-three finish since 2021, turning an already difficult season into a memorable afternoon in Baku.
Antonelli finished fourth, missing out on the podium by just over two seconds, while Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda completed the next two positions. Norris had to settle for seventh, followed by the two Ferraris, with Hamilton finishing ahead of Leclerc. Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten and took the final point.
Verstappen ultimately crossed the line after 51 laps, taking his second consecutive victory after Monza. Russell finished almost 15 seconds behind, while the Dutchman also claimed the fastest lap on the penultimate lap. For Piastri, meanwhile, the weekend could hardly have gone worse. His early retirement handed Norris an opportunity to cut into the championship deficit, while Verstappen’s victory moved him to within 69 points of the lead.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
