Verstappen wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Norris misses chance to close gap on Piastri

Max Verstappen won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Sunday, leading from start to finish to claim his second consecutive victory. Lando Norris started seventh after a dramatic, rain‑hit qualifying session and could not convert his chance to close the gap on championship leader Oscar Piastri. Piastri crashed twice during the weekend, once in qualifying and again on lap five of the race, ending his bid for a result.

Verstappen was 14.6 seconds clear at the chequered flag as George Russell finished second and Carlos Sainz completed a podium for Williams, their first in years, after a chaotic qualifying session. Lewis Hamilton finished eighth for Ferrari with Charles Leclerc one place further back. Norris finished seventh after a cautious drive that offered little in the way of late pressure, while Piastri slid to 18th after the start mishap and further incidents.

Verstappen now closes within 69 points of Piastri in the championship standings, and Red Bull again demonstrated a strong package that has carried them through a demanding stretch of the season. The team had introduced a package used in Monza and at other recent races at Silverstone under former team boss Christian Horner, who has since stepped away from the role. That arsenal will be tested in tracks that have not traditionally suited Verstappen, meaning the title race remains open.

Piastri recovered only for most of the race to be forced to watch from behind a marshal after the early accident, while Fernando Alonso avoided a clash with the stranded Australian by diverting his Aston Martin left. The race was part of a weekend that included a wind tossed, two‑hour qualifying marathon with six red flags, one of the defining features of a weekend that produced a dramatic turn on Sunday.

With six races remaining and a trio of sprint events in Austin, Brazil, and Qatar, the title picture will continue to shift as teams adapt to rapidly changing conditions. The championship remains dynamic, and Verstappen will face a number of tracks that will test the latest Red Bull package and the drivers behind Piastri.