Max Verstappen delivered another masterclass in Baku, claiming his fourth victory of the season and his second in a row. The result underlined Red Bull’s resurgence and left McLaren with plenty to worry about.
Although Verstappen still trails championship leader Oscar Piastri by 69 points with seven races remaining, his pace suggested he could re-enter the title fight.
For Piastri, the weekend was one to forget. The Australian crashed during qualifying and then jumped the start in the race, dropping to the back before sliding into the barrier just five corners later. His early exit handed opportunities to rivals, but McLaren were unable to fully capitalize.
Lando Norris endured his own struggles. A slow pit stop ruined his strategy, and he eventually finished outside the podium after being stuck in a DRS train led by Liam Lawson. The Racing Bulls driver produced the performance of his career, holding off Norris, Yuki Tsunoda, and Lewis Hamilton to finish an impressive fifth.
While McLaren faltered, Mercedes and Williams shone. George Russell drove a smart race on a long first stint to secure second place, while his teammate Kimi Antonelli finished fourth. Carlos Sainz brought relief to Williams with a superb third-place finish, marking the team’s first podium since 2021.
At the front, Verstappen controlled the race from the start, carefully managing his hard tires before switching to mediums. He also secured the fastest lap. Afterward, Verstappen praised his car, saying the last two weekends had been “amazing.”
With McLaren’s Constructors’ Championship celebrations postponed, all eyes now turn to the Singapore Grand Prix on October 5.