Max Verstappen extended his momentum in the 2025 Formula 1 season with a commanding win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, securing back-to-back victories after converting pole into a flawless drive around the streets of Baku.
The Dutchman never looked troubled across the 51 laps, taking the chequered flag 14.6 seconds clear of George Russell, who delivered a strong result for Mercedes. Carlos Sainz rounded out the podium, securing a landmark finish for Williams in third.
It was an afternoon to forget for championship leader Oscar Piastri. Starting ninth, the Australian jumped the lights at the start before crashing out at Turn 5 on the opening lap, ending his race almost before it had begun.
Behind the podium places, Mercedes protégé Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed out on a maiden top-three finish, crossing the line in fourth. Liam Lawson impressed for Racing Bulls in fifth, ahead of Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda and McLaren’s Lando Norris.
Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc followed closely in eighth and ninth for Ferrari, with Isack Hadjar rounding out the points for Racing Bulls.
Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Full Race Results
| Pos | Driver | Team | Time/Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull | LAP 51 |
| 2 | George Russell | Mercedes | +14.609 |
| 3 | Carlos Sainz | Williams | +19.199 |
| 4 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes | +21.760 |
| 5 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | +33.290 |
| 6 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull | +33.808 |
| 7 | Lando Norris | McLaren | +34.227 |
| 8 | Lewis Hamilton | Ferrari | +36.310 |
| 9 | Charles Leclerc | Ferrari | +36.774 |
| 10 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | +38.982 |
| 11 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake | +67.606 |
| 12 | Oliver Bearman | Haas | +68.262 |
| 13 | Alexander Albon | Williams | +72.870 |
| 14 | Esteban Ocon | Haas | +77.580 |
| 15 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin | +78.707 |
| 16 | Nico Hulkenberg | Stake | +80.237 |
| 17 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin | +96.392 |
| 18 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine | 1 Lap |
| 19 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine | 1 Lap |
| 20 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren | DNF |
Drivers’ Championship Picture
Oscar Piastri may have crashed out in Baku, but thanks to his dominant early-season form he still leads the title fight with 324 points. Lando Norris has closed the gap slightly and now sits 25 points back, while Max Verstappen’s back-to-back wins have hauled him into third, 69 points off the lead. Behind them, George Russell continues to anchor Mercedes’ campaign in fourth, with Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton flying the flag for Ferrari in the top six.
Here’s how the table looks after the Azerbaijan Grand Prix:
| Pos | Driver | Team | Points | Gap to P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | McLaren F1 Team | 324 | — |
| 2 | Lando Norris | McLaren F1 Team | 299 | 25 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | Red Bull Racing | 255 | 69 |
| 4 | George Russell | Mercedes AMG F1 | 212 | 112 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | Scuderia Ferrari | 165 | 159 |
| 6 | Lewis Hamilton | Scuderia Ferrari | 121 | 203 |
| 7 | Kimi Antonelli | Mercedes AMG F1 | 78 | 246 |
| 8 | Alexander Albon | Williams Racing | 70 | 254 |
| 9 | Isack Hadjar | Racing Bulls | 39 | 285 |
| 10 | Nico Hülkenberg | Stake F1 Team | 37 | 287 |
| 11 | Lance Stroll | Aston Martin F1 Team | 32 | 292 |
| 12 | Carlos Sainz | Williams Racing | 31 | 293 |
| 13 | Liam Lawson | Racing Bulls | 30 | 294 |
| 14 | Fernando Alonso | Aston Martin F1 Team | 30 | 294 |
| 15 | Esteban Ocon | Haas F1 | 28 | 296 |
| 16 | Pierre Gasly | Alpine F1 | 20 | 304 |
| 17 | Yuki Tsunoda | Red Bull Racing | 20 | 304 |
| 18 | Gabriel Bortoleto | Stake F1 Team | 18 | 306 |
| 19 | Oliver Bearman | Haas F1 | 16 | 308 |
| 20 | Franco Colapinto | Alpine F1 | 0 | 324 |
| 21 | Jack Doohan | Alpine F1 | 0 | 324 |
Piastri’s crash has breathed life into the chase, with Norris and Verstappen both cutting into his advantage. Russell and Leclerc remain outside contenders, while the midfield battle is tighter than ever. All eyes now turn to the next round, Singapore — where McLaren must prove Baku was just a stumble, and Verstappen will look to keep his momentum rolling.