2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix: detailed race report

The 2025 Formula 1 season arrived at the Baku City Circuit with a fierce title battle brewing. McLaren's rising star Oscar Piastri led the drivers' championship by 31 points over teammate Lando Norris heading into Azerbaijan. This intra-team duel had captivated fans, as Piastri's consistency (points in 34 consecutive races prior to Baku) put him atop the standings, while Norris was determined to close the gap. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen -- the defending champion -- lurked in third place in the standings, trailing Piastri by 75 points. With only seven races remaining, the streets of Baku, known for producing unpredictable and chaotic races, promised to be a pivotal venue for the championship narrative.

Off-track, storylines added to the intensity. Over the summer, Red Bull underwent a major shake-up with a change in leadership, and the team appeared rejuvenated since, giving Verstappen hope of clawing back into the title fight. Mercedes, too, had reasons for optimism -- George Russell had quietly inserted himself as a dark-horse contender, and the team introduced a significant development package for Baku. All eyes were on Baku's high-speed straights and tight castle section as the championship front-runners prepared to face one of the calendar's most unforgiving circuits.

Qualifying Highlights and Surprises

Qualifying in Baku turned into a dramatic saga, setting the stage for an unpredictable race. The session was a stop-start affair with a record six red-flag interruptions as multiple drivers found the barriers. Amid the chaos, Max Verstappen showcased his class by mastering the changing conditions, taking pole position by nearly half a second in a dominant performance.

The surprises up front included Carlos Sainz in the Williams, who capitalized on the mayhem to qualify a stunning second on the grid. Lining up third was Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda, proving the team's rebounding pace. Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli also shone by qualifying fourth.

Meanwhile, the championship-leading McLarens faltered. Lando Norris brushed the wall during a "scruffy lap" and ended up seventh. Worse yet, Oscar Piastri crashed out in Q3, bringing out one of the many red flags. He would start a lowly ninth -- a major blow for the championship leader.

Race Start and Opening Laps

The drama began immediately at lights out. Pole-sitter Max Verstappen launched cleanly and held the lead, but chaos struck the championship leader. Oscar Piastri, starting 9th, jumped the start, then hesitated as his anti-stall kicked in, resulting in a "nervy, sluggish getaway" that left him bogged down. In an instant, Piastri plummeted from the mid-pack to dead last.

As Piastri tried to recover through the opening sector, he misjudged the braking on cold tires into Turn 5. The #81 McLaren went straight on and smashed nose-first into the barriers, crumpling the front wing and instantly ending his race. For the first time in nearly two seasons, the championship leader was out of a Grand Prix, snapping an incredible 34-race points-scoring streak.

The crash immediately deployed the Safety Car. It was a nightmare scenario for McLaren but a golden opportunity for Lando Norris. However, Norris had his own struggles, dropping to eighth in the opening lap shuffle and finding himself stuck in a DRS train after the restart.

Key Moments and Incidents

With the early drama subsiding, the Grand Prix developed into a game of strategy and attrition. The Lap 1 Piastri crash was the defining incident, jolting the competitive landscape. However, Norris's inability to capitalize fully became another major story, as he spent lap after lap staring at the gearbox of Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull, unable to overtake.

A pivotal moment came during the pit stop cycle. McLaren rolled the dice by leaving Norris out longer, hoping that fresher tires at the end of the race would let him attack. But in a cruel twist, a sticky left-rear tire resulted in a slow 4.3-second pit stop, costing precious seconds and nullifying the strategy gamble.

At the sharp end, George Russell's ascent to second place was a critical on-track moment. Starting P5, the Mercedes driver methodically worked his way forward. The battle for P2 was decided during the pit stops, where Mercedes executed a flawless stop for Russell, allowing him to undercut Carlos Sainz for the position.

Final Laps and How the Race Was Won

As the race entered its closing stages, the situation at the front was stable. Max Verstappen was cruising with a lead of around 15 seconds over George Russell. He encountered no hiccups and continued to click off laps with remarkable consistency, even setting the fastest lap of the race to secure the full 26 points for a Grand Chelem (pole, win, fastest lap, and leading every lap).

Behind him, George Russell held on to a well-earned second place despite battling illness all weekend. The fight for the final podium spot drew attention as rookie Kimi Antonelli closed in on Carlos Sainz. However, the experienced Spaniard defended stoutly and maintained third place, earning Williams a long-awaited podium finish.

Further down, Lando Norris finally overtook Charles Leclerc for P7 and spent the final 10 laps hunting down Yuki Tsunoda for sixth. He closed the gap but could not find a way past, finishing just 0.5s behind the Red Bull at the flag.

Post-Race Reactions

The paddock saw a mix of elation and frustration. Max Verstappen praised his team's turnaround, stating, "This weekend has been incredible for us... we're going to give it everything in the final rounds."

At McLaren, Oscar Piastri frankly owned up to his mistakes, calling it "Certainly not my finest moment." Lando Norris was defiant despite the disappointing result, insisting, "I did the best I could today... It was not a good result, but I couldn't do anything more."

Mercedes was quietly pleased, with George Russell admitting he was "happy just to have made it through" given his illness. The biggest celebration came from Williams, where an overjoyed Carlos Sainz called his third place "even better than my first ever podium."

Implications for the Championship

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix may well be a turning point. In the Drivers' Championship, Piastri retains the lead, but his cushion over Norris has shrunk from 31 to just 25 points. The intra-McLaren duel is set to intensify.

Meanwhile, Max Verstappen's victory keeps his faint title hopes alive, bringing his deficit to Piastri down to 69 points. With Red Bull's resurgent form, a three-way fight could yet emerge. George Russell's result also keeps him in the conversation as a dark horse.

In the Constructors' Championship, McLaren's failure to clinch the title in Baku means the fight goes on, though they still hold a massive lead. The battle for second between Red Bull and Mercedes, however, is very much alive. As the paddock packs up, the 2025 title race has just become a lot more interesting.