Race Notes - Verstappen wins flag to flag Azerbaijan GP

By Mark Karp

Max Verstappen won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in his Red Bull-Honda over George Russell in his Mercedes GP, by 14.609 seconds in second place.

Carlos Sainz finishes in third place, taking his first podium for Williams, 19.199 seconds behind Verstappen.

It is Verstappen’s second win in a row, and fourth of the season. It is Verstappen’s 67 of career.

Norris takes 6 points from Piastri’s Championship lead, Piastri still leads by 25 points, after Piastri crashes out on the first lap. Verstappen with his win is now 69 points behind Piastri.

Sainz’s podium is the first Williams podium since Belgian 2021, and Sainz’s 28th career podium for McLaren, Ferrari and now Williams.

Kimi Antonelli (21.760s) in the second Mercedes finished fourth, followed by Liam Lawson (33.290s) in the Racing Bulls-Honda in fifth, his best career finish, Yuki Tsunoda (33.808s) in the second Red Bull was sixth, Lando Norris (34.227s) in the McLaren-Mercedes was seventh, Lewis Hamilton (36.310s) in the Ferrari was eighth, his team mate Charles Leclerc (36.774s) was ninth, and Isack Hadjar (38.982s) in the second Racing Bull took the final point in tenth place.

Before the start Verstappen and Sainz are on the front row, Lawson and Antonelli on row 2, Russell and Tsunoda on row 3, Norris and Hadjar on 4, and Oscar Piastri and Leclerc rounding out the top ten.

Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda and Hamilton in 12th starting on hard tyres, the rest of the top ten on mediums. A one stop race expected.

At the appointed time the grid took to the foration long lap, came and lined up in their starting spots, the lights went off and the race began with Verstappen tales the lead. Piastri jumps the start, then stops and gets going slowly and drops back, and is at the back on the field, further in the lap at turn 5, Piastri slides wide and hits the wall and the Championship leader’s day is done.

It is the first time in 34 races that Piastri is out of a race. The Safety Car is deployed.

Esteban Ocon and Alex Albon pit for medium tyres.

On lap 3, Verstappen leads Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, Russell, Tsunoda, Hadjar, Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton in tenth, Fernando Alonso, Gabriel Bortoleto and Lance Stroll in 13th.

Alonso is being investigated for jumping the start.

At the end of lap 4 the Safety car is in and the race resumes with Verstappen leading, Sainz, Lawson, Antonelli, Tsunoda, Russell, Leclerc, Hadjar, Norris and Hamilton in tenth,

Hamilton is battling Hadjar for ninth.

Alonso is given a 5-second penalty for jumping the start.

Sainz set the fastest lap at 1m46.246s.

On lap 8 Hamilton passes Hadjar for ninth into turn 1.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m46.133s.

Russell passes Tsunoda for fifth.

At lap 10, Verstappen leads Sainz by 2.6 seconds, followed by Lawson (4.5s), Antonelli (5.6s), Russell (7.8s), Tsunoda (9.3s), Leclerc (10.1s), Norris (11.1s), Hamilton (12.1s) and Hadjar (13.7s) in tenth place.

On lap 11 Russell sets fast lap at 1m46.108s.

On lap 13 Oliver Bearman passes Pierre Gasly for 16th.

Russell sets fast lap at 1m46.005s, then Verstappen the next lap at 1m45.817s.

On lap 15 Albon passes Gasly for 17th.

On lap 16 Albon pits for hard tyres and runs in 19th.

On lap 17 Ocon passes Gasly for 16th. Hamilton runs wide but continues.

On lap 18 Albon attempts to pass Franco Colapinto, the two touch and Colapinto spins, but both continue.

On lap 19 Antonelli pits from fourth for hard tyres and rejoins 12th.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m45.414s.

On lap 20 Leclerc pits from sixth for hard tyres and rejoins 12th behind Antonelli.

Albon is given a 10-second penalty for contact.

Lawson pits fror hard tyres from third and rejoins tenth with Antonelli behind

On lap 22 Antonelli passes Lawson for ninth.

At lap 25, at half distance, Verstappen leads Sainz by 7.4 seconds followed by Russell (10.9s), Tsunoda (15.3s), Norris (17.5s), Hamilton (22.1s), Hadjar (28.4s), Bortoleto (32.3s), Antonelli (33.3s) and Lawson (35.4s) in tenth place - Leclerc in 11th.

On lap 26 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m44.967s.

On lap 27 Bortoleto pits

On lap 28 Sainz pits from second for hard tyres and rejoins sixth.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m44.820s.

On lap 30 Hadjar pits for hard tyres and rejoins tenth.

At lap 30 Verstappen leads Russell by 12.7 seconds followed by Tsunoda (18.0s), Norris (20.3s), Hamilton (26.0s), Sainz (31.7s), Antonelli (35.5s), Lawson (39.0s), Leclerc (39.8s), and Hadjar (56.1s) in tenth place.

On lap 31 Bearman sets fast lap at 1m44.654s.

The top five drivers yet to pit.

On lap 36 Albon passes Ocon for 13th.

Hamilton pits from sixth for medium tyres and rejoins ninth ahead of Hadjar.

On lap 39 Norris pits from fourth for hard tyres and rejoins eighth ahead of Hamilton.

On lap 40 Tsunoda pits for medium tyres and rejoins sixth behind Lawson.

Russell pits from second for medium tyres and rejoins still second ahead of Sainz.

On lap 41 Verstappen pits from the lead, changing to medium tyres and rejoins still in the lead.

Hamilton sets fast lap at 1m43.977s,

On lap 41 Norris passes Leclerc for seventh.

On lap 42 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m43.702s.

On lap 43 Hamilton with new medium tyres passes Leclerc for eighth.

Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m43.564s.

At lap 45, with six laps to go, Verstappen leads Russel by 12.3 seconds, followed by Sainz (16.8s), Antonelli (18.6s), Lawson (27.8s), Tsunoda (28.8s), Norris (29.6s), Hamilton (30.9s), Leclerc (33.2s) and Hadjar (38.0s) in tenth.

On lap 45 Verstappen sets fast lap at 1m43.423s, and again the next lap at 1m43.419s.

A line of cars forms following Lawson in fifth, Tsunoda, Norris and Hamilton.

On lap 50 Verstappen sets fastest lap at 1m43.388s

At the chequered flag Verstappen wins over Russell and Sainz.