Red Bull’s Max Verstappen claimed victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after Oscar Piastri crashed out on the opening lap, leaving the McLaren driver’s championship lead reduced but intact.
Piastri, who started the weekend with a 31-point advantage, jumped the start, was forced to stop, and then slid into the barriers five corners later in an ambitious attempt to pass Esteban Ocon. It marked his first major error of the season.
Despite Piastri’s exit, his nearest rival Lando Norris was unable to take full advantage. Norris finished seventh, collecting six points and trimming the gap to 25 points in the standings.
Norris’s race was marked by traffic and a slow pit stop. He lost ground at the start to Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar, regained it, but then found himself trapped behind Charles Leclerc for much of the first stint.
McLaren attempted an offset strategy by keeping Norris out longer before pitting, hoping fresher tyres would help him progress late in the race. But a two-second delay with the wheel gun during his stop cost him momentum.
That placed him back behind Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, with Lewis Hamilton also in the mix. For the final 10 laps, the quartet ran nose-to-tail, but none could overtake, leaving Norris frustrated and stuck in seventh.
At the front, Verstappen controlled the race from the start. He managed his tyres carefully, extended his first stint on the hard compound, and kept the field at bay. He also set the fastest lap, underlining his authority on the day.
The win was Verstappen’s fourth of the season, only one behind Norris, and strengthened Red Bull’s belief that they have unlocked new performance after recent upgrades.
Mercedes’ George Russell climbed from fifth to second using the same strategy as Verstappen. He managed his tyres effectively, passed his team-mate Kimi Antonelli, and secured his first podium in several races.
Carlos Sainz held on for third place, giving Williams their first podium in a full-distance race since Baku in 2017. It was also Sainz’s first podium with the team after leaving Ferrari.
Williams’ performance highlighted their improvement this season, with Sainz delivering a clean drive to back up his front-row start. He became only the second driver, after Alain Prost, to finish on the podium for McLaren, Ferrari, and Williams.
Antonelli finished fourth with a steady performance, while Hamilton placed eighth after being unable to pass Lawson or Tsunoda. Ferrari instructed Leclerc to move aside for Hamilton late in the race, but Hamilton could not advance further.
Racing Bulls’ Hadjar scored the final point in the 10th. Leclerc crossed ninth after a late mix-up when Hamilton failed to return the place as requested by his team.
At the chequered flag, Verstappen’s victory tightened the pressure on McLaren, Piastri retained a 25-point lead, and Williams celebrated a milestone result. With seven races left, the championship picture has shifted, leaving McLaren with little room for error.
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