Overview

• Max Verstappen secured pole for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix ahead of Carlos Sainz and Liam Lawson after a stop‑start session in Baku.
• Qualifying set a record with six red flags as strong winds and brief rain led to multiple crashes, including incidents for Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc.
• McLaren’s title bid took a hit with Lando Norris starting seventh and Piastri ninth, adding uncertainty to hopes of clinching the constructors’ crown this weekend.
• Mercedes showed renewed one‑lap pace with Kimi Antonelli fourth and George Russell fifth, with stewards still reviewing incidents such as Antonelli’s yellow‑flag investigation.
• Post‑session checks led to Esteban Ocon’s disqualification for a non‑compliant rear wing, forcing a pit‑lane start.