Qualifying Report - Verstappen edges Sainz for chaotic Baku pole

Max Verstappen
© Red Bull

Max Verstappen denied Carlos Sainz a surprise pole position in a dramatic and rain-affected qualifying session for the Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as Oscar Piastri crashed out and six red flags disrupted proceedings in Baku.

The world champion, chasing his first pole around the streets of the Azerbaijan capital, produced a 1m41.117s lap in the closing seconds of Q3 to beat Sainz’s Williams by 0.478s. Sainz had looked set for a shock top spot after being among the few to complete a lap before heavier rain arrived, his 1m41.595s on mediums leaving him provisionally on pole.

Red Bull stablemate Liam Lawson starred for Racing Bulls by qualifying third with a 1m41.707s, just ahead of Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who set a 1m41.717s. George Russell followed in fifth on 1m42.070s, while Yuki Tsunoda brought the second Red Bull to sixth on 1m42.143s.

McLaren endured a bruising session. Oscar Piastri had shown purple sector one on his final lap before crashing at Turn 3, leaving him classified only ninth with no time set in Q3. Team-mate Lando Norris managed seventh with 1m42.239s, missing an opportunity to capitalise on his title rival’s exit. Racing Bulls’ Isack Hadjar split the McLarens in eighth, recording 1m42.372s. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, chasing a fifth consecutive Baku pole, ended 10th after a costly crash into the Turn 15 Tecpro barriers.

The chaos began in Q1, when Alex Albon struck the Turn 1 wall in his Williams and Nico Hülkenberg lost his Sauber’s front wing at Turn 4, both bringing out red flags. Franco Colapinto then compounded Alpine’s misery by crashing at Turn 4 after Pierre Gasly had already gone off at the same corner, eliminating both Alpines.

Q2 was no less turbulent. Haas rookie Oliver Bearman clipped the Turn 2 wall, breaking his suspension and triggering another stoppage. Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was eliminated in 12th after his flying lap was disrupted by Leclerc going wide, leaving him outside the top 10 alongside Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso. Gabriel Bortoleto, Lance Stroll and Bearman also exited. Verstappen led the way with a 1m41.543s on mediums, ahead of Norris and Piastri.

That set up the stop-start final segment, which saw rain threaten to freeze the order after Sainz, Lawson and Hadjar had banked early laps. But with the track drying and barriers repaired, Verstappen delivered when it mattered to secure his first Baku pole, leaving rivals to wonder what might have been in one of the most disrupted qualifying sessions of recent memory.