Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 Highlights: Verstappen Wins In Baku As Sainz Claims Surprise Podium For Williams

That’s a wrap from Baku. Thanks for following along, stay tuned for the next live blog. Bye bye.

Carlos Sainz is all smiles after the race, joking on the radio, "This is my first Smooth operator for Williams!" Clearly, he’s enjoying the moment after a solid podium finish.

1. Max Verstappen

2. George Russell

3. Carlos Sainz Jr.

Max Verstappen takes a dominant victory in Baku, making it look almost effortless. George Russell finishes second, with Carlos Sainz taking the final podium spot. Antonelli crosses fourth, Lawson fifth, Tsunoda sixth, and Norris seventh, while the two Ferraris slot in at eighth and ninth. Isack Hadjar completes the top 10. A thrilling race, but Verstappen clearly had it under control.

George Russell in second has carved out a comfortable gap to third-placed Carlos Sainz, while Max Verstappen is far ahead, driving a solo race at the front. Behind Lawson, a tightly packed queue of Tsunoda, Norris, Hamilton, and Leclerc is sticking close, all jockeying for position in the closing stages.

The overhead camera gives a bird’s-eye view of the action, Lando Norris is closing in on Yuki Tsunoda’s Red Bull, but he’s still just shy of making a move. Meanwhile, Liam Lawson is digging deep, defending every metre to hang on to his valuable points haul.

Verstappen is in cruise control, stretching his lead to over 13 seconds ahead of Russell in second. Behind them, Tsunoda, Norris, and Hamilton are practically glued together, battling every inch as they fight for position.

Norris is hunting down Tsunoda in sixth, but the McLaren just can’t find a way past. Hot on their heels, Hamilton is lurking nearby, ready to pounce if an opportunity opens up.

Lando Norris has dropped to eighth, sitting just behind Leclerc in seventh. Meanwhile, Tsunoda heads into the pits, shaking up the mid-pack battle.

Leclerc is hunting down Lawson, flashing DRS in the first sector, but he just can’t find a way past. Meanwhile, Lawson is now 5.7 seconds behind Antonelli, and that podium looks like it’s slipping away for the Kiwi.

Up front, Sainz is showing real pace, Antonelli hasn’t managed to close the gap at all, and the battle for second is heating up.

Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda, Norris, and Hamilton are all holding their positions up front without pitting, but their tyres won’t last much longer. Fresh rubber is coming soon, and it could shake up the top five.

Antonelli goes for it and overtakes Gabriel Bortoleto, climbing up the order. The Mercedes driver now slots into eighth, keeping the midfield battle sizzling.

Pit stops shake things up! Lawson dives in to switch onto hard tyres, handing George Russell a move up to third. The battle for the podium is getting even more intense.

Drama in the mid-pack as Albon and Franco Colapinto make contact! Colapinto spins into the wall, thankfully at low speed, avoiding a big crash. Albon, though, could be in hot water with the stewards for that move.

The battle for the podium is heating up! George Russell is closing in on Antonelli, who’s right on the tail of Lawson. Third place is up for grabs, and it’s shaping up to be a thrilling scrap over the next few laps.

Antonelli is turning up the heat on Lawson in third, looking to make a big move soon. Further back, Oliver Bearman has sliced past Pierre Gasly, climbing up to P16 and making his presence felt in the pack.

Lewis Hamilton pulls off a slick move, sneaking past Isack Hadjar’s Racing Bulls using the slipstream and DRS, dropping the rookie down to P10. Meanwhile, Max Verstappen is cruising at the front, comfortably over a second ahead of Carlos Sainz, leading the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with authority.

Lando Norris is on the move! He’s sliced past the Racing Bulls of Isack Hadjar after the rookie slipped up at Turn 16, pushing the McLaren back into eighth place. Meanwhile, Charles Leclerc has climbed to seventh, keeping the pace hot. Hadjar is now under threat from Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari, but the Frenchman is hanging on to P9, for now.

A lot is happening, but Verstappen is consistent up front, keeping his lead under control. Meanwhile, all eyes are on Piastri, he jumped the start and it all went spectacularly wrong. And the chaos doesn’t stop there; Esteban Ocon has already limped into the pits to swap tyres after an early clash with Nico Hülkenberg. Crashes, pit stops, and nerves everywhere, Baku has exploded into pure mayhem.

And we are OFF in Baku! The engines roar as the lights go out. Max Verstappen rockets into Turn One, holding the lead like a man on a mission. Right behind him, Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson are glued to their spots.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025 roars to life today at 4:30 pm, with the action set against the dramatic backdrop of the Baku City Circuit.

F1 fans in India can watch the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on FanCode, TATA Play, and FanCode Sports. Fans can also stream the race live on F1 TV Pro via Apple TV or subscribe to F1 TV Premium for a more immersive experience.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2025. It is the race day today.