Max Verstappen claimed an emphatic victory in the 2025 Azerbaijan GP without breaking a sweat. The Dutch driver looked like his 2023 version, where he would stroll to victory, and others were fighting for second. The straights and the Baku street circuit did suit the Red Bull; however, it was Max who got the best out of the car.

The race had drama in the first lap after Piastri crashed out into the wall to bring out the safety car. This DNF was a major opportunity for Norris to close the gap, but he once again couldn’t handle the pressure. However, this time the team fumbled with him, so it was not completely his fault. Let’s delve into the review to understand how things panned out.

Verstappen Back in the Title Race as Norris Fumbles to Capitalise

Max Verstappen won back-to-back races after he conquered Monza last time around. The 4-time world champion had an easy race with not a single driver even sniffing close to this throughout the 51 laps. The reigning champion won the race in qualifying yesterday as his competitors failed to post a competitive time. Consecutive race wins for Verstappen and Red Bull means he is now only 69 points behind Oscar Piastri.

Oscar Piastri, who crashed out on the opening lap of the race, had his worst weekend of the year after the Australian GP. This was a golden opportunity for Norris to reduce the gap and get close to his teammate in the title race. However, after a poor pitstop, Norris was stuck behind Tsunoda and Lawson and could only get 6 points this race weekend. With the title race back open and 7 races to go, it is all to play for the three drivers.

Impressive Weekend for Sainz and Lawson

Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson are two of the drivers on the grid who have had a horror season as per their standards. Sainz, who was with Ferrari until last year, has been comprehensively the second-best driver behind Albon. The Spaniard had only accumulated 16 points going into this weekend. However, he nearly matched that with a 15-point haul after an excellent P3 for the smooth operator. Sainz was overjoyed in his post-race interview and would hope to end the season strong.

Liam Lawson was ousted by Red Bull after just 2 races due to some bad performances. Throughout the rookie has struggled to adapt to his new car and has had an up-and-down season. However, in the 2025 Azerbaijan GP, he looked rejuvenated and took an impressive 5^th in the race. He started in 3^rd place, but under pressure from the Mercedes, the Kiwi couldn’t hold the position.

Final Standings of the 2025 Azerbaijan GP

1. Max Verstappen (Red Bull)
2. George Russell (Mercedes)
3. Carlos Sainz (Williams)
4. Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes)
5. Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls)
6. Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull)
7. Lando Norris (McLaren)  
8. Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
9. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
10. Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls)
11. Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
12. Oliver Bearman (Haas)
13. Alex Albon (Williams)
14. Esteban Ocon (Haas)
15. Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
16. Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
17. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
18. Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
19. Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
20. DNF: Oscar Piastri (McLaren)