Chaotic Qualifying in Baku
Qualifying delivered exactly the kind of drama you expect in Baku. The session was suspended six times, thanks to a string of red flags as several drivers crashed and lost control in the tricky, windy street-circuit conditions.
Max Verstappen took pole. He held his nerve amid the chaos and put in the fastest lap in Q3, avoiding the pitfalls that caught out many others.
Carlos Sainz of Williams stunned many by lining up second on the grid. That was a major result for Williams—something they haven’t done often recently.
Liam Lawson also impressed—he qualified third, again showing Racing Bulls are able to punch above their weight when it counts.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri suffered a mess of a qualifying: he crashed during Q3, after earlier incidents, meaning he started 9th. Charles Leclerc also crashed and was well down the order.
Race Day: Dominance from Verstappen
When the lights went out, Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass. From pole, he led every single lap — a lights-to-flag win — never seriously challenged.
Verstappen’s advantage: He built up a lead of over 14 seconds by the finish. No one was close enough to pressure him after lap one.
George Russell (Mercedes) put in a solid drive to finish 2nd, despite struggling with illness across the weekend. Great recovery and points haul for him and Mercedes.
Carlos Sainz made history for Williams — securing the team’s first podium in years. Despite not getting pole, he managed to hold off several challengers to grab 3rd.
Young drivers also shone: Kimi Antonelli was impressive in 4th, showing promise for Mercedes; Liam Lawson claimed P5, a career-best for him.
Disasters & Setbacks
Oscar Piastri’s nightmare: His first lap was a disaster. He jumped the lights, triggered anti-stall (which killed his momentum), dropped to the back, and then crashed out at Turn 5. That’s his first retirement of the season.
Lando Norris was unable to capitalise on Piastri’s exit. He started in 7th, struggled to make progress, and finished P7. A mixed weekend for McLaren — Norris scoring modest points, but far from what was needed.
The 2025 Azerbaijan GP will go down as a crucial swing in the title fight. Verstappen’s commanding win keeps him within a fighting chance of championship contention, while Piastri’s disastrous weekend underscores that even the smallest error in the unforgiving Baku circuit can be costly. Every point counts now with fewer races remaining. If Verstappen continues like this, he can make McLaren sweat. But Piastri and McLaren will be cursing what they lost, knowing the margin for error is shrinking fast.
Shop our F1 wall art today and upgrade your space with unique posters that improve any room!
