The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku delivered no shortage of drama with twists, crashes and shakeups in the championship standings. While Baku is usually an interesting race because it is held on a street track, this year really brought the drama.
Although he is the leader in the Drivers’ Championship, one of the smallest storylines from the weekend came from Oscar Piastri (McLaren), who suffered a DNF after a crash on Lap 1 of51. Piastri entered the weekend comfortably leading the championship, but his failure to score points tightened the gap with teammate Lando Norris (McLaren). While McLarens endured crashes in practice, Norris was able to gain ground in the title fight by finishing seventh and scoring six points.
The real threat to Piastri and Norris now appears to be Max Verstappen (Red Bull). The reigning champion qualified on pole and converted it into a dominant win, closing the championship margin to just 69 points. Fans have been speculating that if Verstappen maintains his winning streak, then he can conceivably win the championship by a couple of points. The last time the title fight was this close was when Verstappen was against Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari) in 2021.
Beyond the title battle, several standout performances defined the weekend. Carlos Sainz (Williams) secured his first podium with the team, finishing third after qualifying second. The result marks a milestone for both Sainz and team principal James Vowles, who have worked to drag Williams back toward being competitive with the top teams. Fans also noted the lighthearted touch of a unicorn sticker on Sainz’s helmet and trophy gifted to him from a fan.
Meanwhile, Liam Lawson (Visa CashApp Racing Bulls) delivered his best F1 finish to date, taking fifth after starting from third on the grid. Mercedes’ George Russell, who battled illness throughout the week, drove a strong race to finish second.
Next on the schedule is Singapore, happening in two weeks. Last year Norris won, and time will tell if this will be a repeat for him, or if Piastri will solidify his championship crown.