The Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session was nothing short of chaotic, featuring a record-breaking six red flags and nearly two hours of stoppages. Max Verstappen seized the moment, delivering a flawless final lap to clinch his sixth pole position of the season.
Championship leader Oscar Piastri’s ambitions took a hit when he crashed out in the closing stages of Q3, ending his run of podium-starting positions and handing the championship lead advantage to team-mate Lando Norris. However, Norris failed to capitalize on the opportunity, clipping the wall on his final lap and settling for a modest seventh place—two spots ahead of Piastri.
Williams’ Carlos Sainz took full advantage of the tumultuous session to secure an unexpected second place on the grid, followed by promising rookies Liam Lawson and Kimi Antonelli in third and fourth respectively.
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Lewis Hamilton faced disappointment after a strong weekend, being eliminated in Q2 and qualifying only 12th. Ferrari’s struggles continued as Charles Leclerc, seeking his fifth consecutive pole in Baku, crashed in the final session and will start from 10th.
Baku lived up to its nickname ‘City of Winds’ with gusts reaching 15 mph, complicating efforts on the tight and demanding street circuit along the Caspian Sea. The session was repeatedly halted by crashes: Alex Albon’s early collision, Nico Hulkenberg’s barrier strike, Franco Colapinto’s Q1 accident, and Oliver Bearman’s mishap in Q2 all contributed to the disjointed qualifying.
Ferrari drivers struggled under pressure, with Hamilton missing out on Q3 by nearly four tenths of a second, while Verstappen led a tightly packed field, separated by mere tenths.
The final blow came when Piastri’s heavy crash in Q3 triggered the sixth red flag, forcing a premature end to the session and solidifying the starting grid order.
Though McLaren’s title hopes faced a setback due to the poor qualifying, the team can still secure the Constructors’ Championship on Sunday with a strong performance—claiming the title early with a one-two finish.
Confirming Baku’s growing prominence on the F1 calendar, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix will remain a fixture until at least 2030 following a recent four-year contract extension.