Max Verstappen collects his trophy in Baku
Baku (AFP) - Max Verstappen showed other contenders on Sunday that he and Red Bull remain serious contenders to disrupt both F1 championships with his imperious lights-to-flag triumph at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
His second consecutive win from pole position confirmed Red Bull’s potential following the mid-season exit of long-serving team boss Christian Horner and the value of new chief Laurent Mekies’ softer more technically-focussed style.
The opening-lap exit of McLaren’s series leader Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris’s struggle to finish seventh left Red Bull within reach of overhauling Ferrari and Mercedes for second in the constructors’ championship and Verstappen within 50 points of Norris in the drivers’ title race.
With seven events remaining, Piastri has 324 points. Norris is second on 299. Verstappen, the four-time champion is on 255. In the constructors’ race Red Bull have 272 in fourth behind Ferrari on 286, Mercedes on 290 and McLaren on 623.
“This has been an incredible weekend,” said Verstappen. “Last weekend, in Italy, was great for us already, but to win here again is just been fantastic. In the race, the car was working really well on both compounds, we had clean air all the way and I could look after the tyres.
“So, it was pretty straightforward which is not easy round here and it was very windy with the car moving around a lot. I am very happy with this performance.”
Asked if he stood by earlier comments suggesting he had given up hope of winning another drivers’ title, he said it was a difficult task to overhaul Piastri.
“There are seven races remaining and a 69-point gap,” the Dutchman said. “It’s a lot.”
“I would need to be perfect on my side and have a lot of luck too.”
His experience and the much-improved performance of the Red Bull car since it was upgraded for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza has lifted the team after it went winless after the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in May.
“It’s difficult to say at the moment, but the last two race weekends have been amazing for us,” said Verstappen.
“Singapore is a completely different challenge again with the higher downforce, so we will see what we can do there.”
Driving with supreme authority, the Dutchman led from lights to flag to claim his first win on the unforgiving barrier-lined Baku street track, his second in succession this month, fourth this year and 67th of his career.
Verstappen came home 14.609 seconds clear of Mercedes’ sickly George Russell and 19 clear of Carlos Sainz who scored his first podium and best result since joining Williams from Ferrari this season.
Mercedes’ teenage rookie Kimi Antonelli put his run of poor outings behind him by finishing fourth ahead of Racing Bulls’ rookie Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull – leaving Norris, in the second McLaren, to come home seventh.
For Norris, it was a wasted opportunity to exploit Piastri’s rare misfortune after the Australian’s run of 34 points finishes ended in the Turn Six barriers.