Max Verstappen claimed a dominant victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, leading from pole to flag to secure his second consecutive win. The Red Bull driver's performance narrowed the championship gap to 69 points, keeping his title hopes alive despite a challenging season.
Oscar Piastri endured a disastrous weekend, describing his performance as characterised by 'silly mistakes'. The Australian driver stalled at the start, dropping to last, before crashing into the wall at turn five. The incident ended his 34-race scoring streak and left him with a 25-point lead over teammate Lando Norris.
Norris, starting seventh, struggled to make progress on a track where overtaking proved difficult. A slow pit stop further hindered his race, and he finished in the same position. The British driver rued his qualifying performance, which cost him a chance to capitalise on Piastri's errors.
George Russell took a well-earned second place despite illness, while Carlos Sainz delighted the crowd with a superb third-place finish. Verstappen's victory demonstrated his resilience, though the championship remains a steep climb with seven races remaining.
