Max Verstappen wins F1's Azerbaijan GP after Oscar Piastri crashes on lap 1

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BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Max Verstappen looked to be back at his title-winning best. McLaren's title-chasing drivers looked like also-rans.

Verstappen cruised to victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday as championship leader Oscar Piastri's first-lap crash allowed Lando Norris to trim his Formula 1 points advantage — but not deal a decisive blow.

Verstappen was in control from start to finish after taking pole position in a chaotic qualifying session Saturday and had a vast lead by the time he made his only pit stop.

“The car was working really well,” Verstappen said. “It was pretty straightforward. Of course, it's not easy around here, very windy today so the car is always moving around a little, but of course, incredibly happy with this performance."

George Russell said he was “pretty glad” to see the checkered flag after taking second for Mercedes while battling illness and Carlos Sainz, Jr. was third for Williams' first podium finish in four years.

“Best podium in my career," the former Ferrari driver told the team.

Verstappen made it back-to-back wins for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix of June 2024 as McLaren’s dominance this season came under threat for the second race in a row.

Norris was seventh as he missed the chance to fully exploit Piastri's error and slash the Australian's lead in the Formula 1 title fight, which drops from 31 points to 25, the value of a race win. Verstappen still has a slim chance of a fifth consecutive title in third, 69 points off the lead.

Norris struggled to pass cars on track and spent the final lap behind Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda, but could have finished as high as fourth if not for losing time — and likely three places — in a slow McLaren pit stop for the second race running.

At the start, Piastri nearly stalled on the grid and dropped to the back of the field, before sliding into the barrier as he tried to recover places. The Australian crashed for the second day running in Baku after also hitting the barrier in qualifying, and failed to pick up any points for the first time since May 2024.

McLaren could have secured the constructors' title Sunday with seven races to go, but will now have to wait until at least the next race in Singapore in two weeks' time. It was McLaren’s worst combined performance of an otherwise dominant season, and lowest points haul from a Grand Prix since 2023.

Hiring Sainz was part of Williams' ambitious plans to return to competing at the front of the grid, and it paid off in Azerbaijan.

There was good fortune Saturday as Sainz benefited from the weather and red flags to qualify second, but he and the car showed genuine pace Sunday to hold on to finish third, allowing only Russell past.

Sainz climbed out of the car and sprinted over to a group of friends and team staff, leaping into their arms.

“We've had a lot of bad luck, a lot of incidents,” Sainz said. “Now I understand why it all happened because the first podium needed to come like this. It’s just life, you know? Life just sometimes brings you those bad moments to give you a very nice one."

Williams was on the podium for the first time since Russell’s second place at the 2021 Belgian Grand Prix, when heavy rain meant no green-flag racing was possible. Excepting that result, it was Williams’ best finish in a competitive race since 2014.

Kimi Antonelli was a much-needed fourth for Mercedes following criticism from team principal Toto Wolff after the last race in Italy. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls finished a career-best fifth after starting third.

Verstappen's Red Bull teammate Yuki Tsunoda was sixth ahead of Norris, with Lewis Hamilton eighth and Charles Leclerc ninth in more disappointment for Ferrari after strong Friday practice pace. Racing Bulls' Isack Hadjar was 10th.

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This story has been corrected. Lewis Hamilton was eighth (not ninth) and Charles Leclerc finished ninth (not eighth).

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