Max Verstappen has positioned himself as a strong contender for the Max Verstappen F1 title after securing a commanding victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku. With seven races remaining in the season, this win has significantly narrowed the gap between Verstappen and championship leader Oscar Piastri.
Verstappen Closes In on Championship Leader Following Baku Triumph
Two weeks after triumphing at Monza, Verstappen’s performance in Baku brought him 69 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ championship, following Piastri’s uncharacteristic mistakes during qualifying and an early crash on the first lap of the race. While Piastri’s weekend unravelled, Verstappen maximized the opportunity by dominating the event.
Saturday’s qualifying session was chaotic, suspended a record six times, which disrupted the starting grid order. Despite the turmoil, Verstappen claimed pole position, while Lando Norris could only manage seventh fastest on the grid. Once the race began, Piastri’s early exit on Lap 1 eliminated him from contention, yet Norris was unable to capitalize fully and finished the race in the same position he started, allowing Verstappen to chip away at Piastri’s lead, reducing it to 44 points.
A Flawless Performance Yields Another Grand Slam for Verstappen
The Dutch driver completed his sixth career Grand Slam—securing pole position, leading every lap, recording the fastest lap, and winning the race—bringing him level with Lewis Hamilton for the second most Grand Slams in Formula 1 history. This impeccable weekend showcased the strength of Verstappen and the Red Bull team.
“This weekend has been incredible for us,”
Verstappen said. “Of course, last weekend was already great. But yeah, for us to win here again is just fantastic,” he added.
“That’s another just great result. A bit unusual. This season has been really swinging left and right, but at least now two weekends in a row, it’s been going really well.”
When asked if he believed he could overcome the points deficit to win the championship, Verstappen responded cautiously,
“I mean, I don’t rely on hope. Seven races to go and it’s still 69 points? It’s a lot.”
“But basically everything needs to go perfect from my side. And then a bit of luck from there from their [McLaren] side I need as well, you know, so it’s still very tough.”
“So I personally don’t think about it. I just go race by race, what I have been doing basically the whole season — just trying to do the best we can, try to score the most points that we can. And then after Abu Dhabi, we’ll know.”
McLaren Acknowledges Red Bull’s Gains and Verstappen’s Threat
Despite Piastri’s struggles at Baku, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella recognized the progress made by Red Bull and Verstappen’s status as a formidable rival. Speaking to SiriusXM post-race, Stella commented on Red Bull’s recent upgrades and their ability to harness them effectively.
“I think they have made a genuine improvement. They had upgrades in Monza. They seem to have found a way to exploit these upgrades with the setup.”
“I said that yesterday already that Max and Red Bull will be regular contenders for the wins, and definitely Max is a contender for the drivers’ championship. So there’s a lot of work ahead of us. We need to stay focused, improve, and we will go again.”
The Championship Battle Intensifies as Season Nears Conclusion
The events in Baku have heightened the intensity of the drivers’ championship race, setting the stage for an unpredictable final stretch of seven races. Verstappen’s consecutive victories suggest he and Red Bull have regained momentum, while Piastri and McLaren face pressure to respond swiftly.
As the season approaches its climax at Abu Dhabi, every race will be decisive. Verstappen’s ability to maintain flawless performances, combined with overcoming the significant points gap, will be crucial in keeping his Max Verstappen F1 title ambitions alive. Meanwhile, McLaren must address the missteps in Baku to protect the lead and sustain their championship challenge.
