Max Verstappen claimed a lights-to-flag victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, while Lando Norris closed the gap to title rival Oscar Piastri to 25 points after the Drivers’ Championship leader crashed out on the opening lap.
Verstappen was never headed on the streets of Baku, leading all 51 laps and winning by over 14 seconds from Mercedes’ George Russell and Carlos Sainz, who claimed his first podium for Williams having just lost out on pole position.
Kimi Antonelli narrowly missed out on the final step of the podium, having run well all day, but was well clear of a fierce battle for fifth, which was headed by Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, who claimed a career-best result.
Yuki Tsunoda finished sixth after applying intense late pressure but in the process claimed his best result for Red Bull, while Norris finished seventh – the same position the McLaren driver started having struggled to make any progress through the sole pit stop sequence.
The Briton, who slumped to as low a ninth at one stage, was unable to pass Tsunoda on the final lap and only reduced Piastri’s lead in the title race by six points.
This was after the Australian suffered a disastrous opening lap, jumping the lights and then activating anti-stall from P9 before crashing out at Turn 5 having dropped to the back of the field.
Lewis Hamilton led team mate Charles Leclerc on a difficult day for Ferrari after both started down the order, as the second Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar completed the top 10.
Gabriel Bortoleto’s Kick Sauber was best of the rest, followed by Ollie Bearman and Alex Albon, the Williams driver slapped with a 10-second penalty for a collision with Franco Colapinto mid-race.
Esteban Ocon, who started last after the rear wing on his Haas was found to be illegal post-Qualifying, finished P14 from Fernando Alonso, the Aston Martin driver handed a penalty for jumping the start.
The order was completed by Nico Hulkenberg (Kick Sauber), Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) and the two Alpines of Pierre Gasly and Colapinto, with Piastri the only retirement.
By F1
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