Overview

• Max Verstappen controlled the Azerbaijan GP from start to finish, winning by 14.6 seconds and underscoring Red Bull’s renewed pace.
• George Russell finished second for Mercedes despite illness and Kimi Antonelli took fourth, lifting the team to 290 points, four ahead of Ferrari.
• Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton ignored a last‑lap instruction to let Charles Leclerc back through, keeping eighth by 0.464s as Leclerc called the situation “not fair,” with Hamilton later saying he would apologize.
• Carlos Sainz claimed third for Williams, his best result of the season and his first podium with the team.
• Rivals credit Red Bull’s recent underbody upgrade for the surge, McLaren warns of Verstappen’s threat, and Helmut Marko says a decision on Verstappen’s 2026 teammate is expected late October, with outside opinions touting Isack Hadjar and questioning Yuki Tsunoda’s chances.