Reigning World champion Max Verstappen claimed his fifth win of the season at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix to extend his lead atop the Formula 1 Drivers Championship standing in the eighth race of the season.
The impressive Charles Leclerc claimed his sixth pole position of the season in the qualifying race as he looked to find the form that saw him fly at the start of the season. Ferrari’s problems began to unfold as early as in the ninth lap as Carlos Sainz was forced to retire after his engine developed a fault.
Verstappen took advantage of a slow pit by Leclerc to move ahead of him into second place before moving past teammate Perez to take the lead for the first time in the 15th lap.
Leclerc was in second place behind Verstappen and ahead of Sergio Perez when his engine developed a fault in the 20th lap, forcing him to retire and putting his title aspirations further at risk.
Verstappen managed to hold on to first place until the end of the race in Baku, claiming his first-ever Azerbaijan Grand Prix win. Teammate Perez finished in second place to complete a Red Bull 1-2, and George Russell finished in third place to complete the podium places.
Lewis Hamilton finished in fourth, Pierre Gasly was fifth, Sebastian Vettel was sixth, Fernando Alonso was seventh, Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris and Esteban Ocon were the remaining point scorers in Baku.
Verstappen now has 25 career wins in Formula One and is atop the Championship standings with 150 points. Sergio Perez has overtaken Charles Leclerc in second place with 129 points, while Leclerc remains third.
The drivers will now turn their attention to the Canadian Grand Prix next weekend.
