Max Verstappen secured a dominant victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, achieving the sixth Grand Slam of his Formula 1 career by leading every lap from pole position. This triumph marked his 67th career win and his fourth of the current season, with qualifying performance playing a crucial role in his success at Baku.
Laurent Mekies, principal of the Oracle Red Bull Racing team, noted that this triumph came early in his leadership, just five races after taking over from Christian Horner. Mekies emphasized the importance of Verstappen’s qualifying pace as a foundation for the victory.
How Qualifying Set the Stage for Verstappen’s Commanding Victory
Mekies described the weekend’s success as stemming from Verstappen’s exceptional qualifying performance, which effectively defined the race outcome. Given the limited long-run data during Friday practice, predicting race pace was uncertain, but Verstappen’s consistent laps in qualifying confirmed his speed advantage. Mekies stated,
“This win started with a Max masterclass in Qualifying yesterday. We didn’t know what race pace would be like as nobody really got any long runs on Friday, but he just pulled away lap after lap, another Grand Chelem, Pole, in the lead from start to finish and setting the fastest lap. The win is down to everyone in Milton Keynes pushing so hard to make the car faster.”
— Laurent Mekies, Oracle Red Bull Racing Team Principal
Starting on hard tyres, Verstappen maintained his lead through the critical first corner, keeping Carlos Sainz behind despite the tyre disadvantage. The race saw several disruptions, notably Oscar Piastri’s false start and subsequent crash, which shuffled the order behind Verstappen. Meanwhile, the Dutch driver steadily extended his lead, never facing substantial pressure throughout the race.
Verstappen’s tyre strategy involved starting on hard tyres, which allowed him to build a gap comfortably before switching to mediums for the closing stages. He crossed the finish line with a 14-second lead over the rest of the field. George Russell managed to overtake Sainz for second in the latter half of the race but was unable to challenge Verstappen’s supremacy.
For the first time, Verstappen looked completely assured at Baku, a track where his previous results had been inconsistent. The race also provided a positive boost for Red Bull as Yuki Tsunoda scored his best finish with the team, finishing sixth and reflecting the momentum Mekies has brought since joining.
Verstappen Minimizes Title Talk Despite Consecutive Victories
Following his back-to-back wins, including a dominant performance at Monza, Verstappen refrained from discussing championship ambitions openly. With new floor upgrades aiding his car’s high-speed cornering, the Dutch driver has narrowed the gap to leaders McLaren, although the championship remains a challenging pursuit.
Oscar Piastri continues to lead the standings with 324 points despite retiring from the Azerbaijan race. Lando Norris ranks second at 299 points, while Verstappen is third on 255 points, trailing by 69 with seven races remaining. The shifting dynamics have attracted attention, but Verstappen chose to focus on each race without dwelling on the points gap.
“I don’t rely on hope. But it’s seven rounds left, 69 points is a lot. 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.”
— Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing Driver
Though measured, Verstappen’s comments suggest a pragmatic approach that could benefit him as the calendar advances. Upcoming circuits like Interlagos, Circuit of the Americas, and Abu Dhabi feature fast sectors where Red Bull’s upgraded RB21 has shown strength, contrasting with McLaren’s struggles on similar tracks this season.
With Formula 1 action resuming on October 5 at the Marina Bay Street Circuit in Singapore, Verstappen insists that maintaining focus on individual races remains paramount for himself and the team.
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