21 September, Sunday: Max Verstappen has clinched victory from the hands of Oscar Piastri, and as the drivers’ standings tighten, McLaren still leads both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, but the margin of error is shrinking fast.
Max triumphs, Piastri crashes out early
In a dramatic Azerbaijan GP at the Baku street circuit, Max Verstappen converted pole position into a convincing win, capitalising on trouble for his rivals. Championship leader Oscar Piastri stalled at the start, slid off at turn five, and crashed into the barrier on lap 1, ending his race disastrously. The early exit ends his record of consecutive finishes and hands a major opportunity to his McLaren teammate Lando Norris, who finished seventh. George Russell took second for Mercedes and Carlos Sainz Jr. secured third, delivering Williams its first podium in four years.
Verstappen’s win, combined with Piastri’s zero points, shrinks the gap in the title race, though McLaren remains in the driver’s and constructors’ lead.
Standings update: McLaren still ahead but under pressure
Following the Azerbaijan GP, Oscar Piastri maintains the top spot in the Drivers’ Championship with 324 points, but his lead over teammate Lando Norris (293 points) is now more fragile. Max Verstappen sits third with 230 points, with George Russell and Charles Leclerc rounding out the top five.
On the Constructors’ side, McLaren continues to dominate, building on consistent performance and race wins. Ferrari and Mercedes follow, but they must press hard to challenge McLaren’s momentum.
