Max Verstappen took his second consecutive Formula 1 win by dominating the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Oscar Piastri crashed out on the first lap, with Lando Norris only seventh to make a small gain in the title fight.
Verstappen ran largely unopposed as a dramatic qualifying session saw Williams man Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson provide a handy buffer between the world champion and his direct rivals from Mercedes, McLaren and Ferrari.
But Verstappen’s lightning pace through the streets of Baku showed that even in a straight fight it would have taken some doing to challenge the Dutchman. Starting on hard tyres, Verstappen delayed his only pitstop to mediums to lap 41 of 51 and then crossed the line with a 14-second lead on Mercedes’ George Russell, who recovered from illness to take second.
A buoyant Sainz took the third step on the podium, his first for Williams, as he delivered a faultless drive from second on the grid but was powerless to keep Russell at bay.
2025 title battle between the Briton and McLaren team-mate Piastri saw another swing as the latter crashed out on the opening lap
Lawson needed inch-perfect Turn 16 exits onto Baku’s mammoth straight to keep Tsunoda and Norris behind, and by holding firm the New Zealander was rewarded with his best-ever grand prix result in fifth. Under-pressure Tsunoda also grabbed a much-needed result in sixth, the Japanese surviving a last-lap overtaking attempt from Norris.
Norris’ seventh place, the same position he started from, was a wasted opportunity to capitalise on Piastri’s exit, only closing the gap to his team-mate by six points as the Australian now leads by 25 points.
Hamilton also passed Leclerc to attach his wagon to the Lawson DRS train, but was a spectator as he finished eighth ahead of his Scuderia stablemate.
Hadjar claimed the final point in 10th after losing ground at the start, as other midfield teams struggled to capitalise.
