Max Verstappen secured victory at the Formula 1 race in Azerbaijan, demonstrating continued dominance on the track. George Russell of Mercedes finished in second place, while Carlos Sainz brought his car across the line to complete the podium.
This marks Verstappen’s second consecutive win, following a period previously characterized by McLaren’s prominence. While his lead in the driver standings remains substantial, effectively ending any realistic challenge to his title defense, the outcome allowed other drivers to gain ground.
Lando Norris, currently positioned second in the championship, benefited from an early retirement of his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, although he ultimately finished seventh. This incident allowed him to reduce the points gap in the overall standings.
Following the leading trio, Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) and Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) secured fourth and fifth place respectively, followed by Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull), Norris and Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari). Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) contributed two points to his team’s tally with a ninth-place finish, with Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls) adding a single point from tenth. German driver Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber) concluded the race in 16th position.
The next race is scheduled to take place in two weeks in Singapore.