Chaos Unfolds in Baku as Verstappen Reigns Supreme

Red Bull's Max Verstappen delivered a masterclass at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, claiming his fourth victory of the season while championship leader Oscar Piastri suffered a disastrous double crash weekend.

Race Highlights

• Lap 1 Disaster: Piastri's race ended before Turn 6 after a jumped start and subsequent collision with Esteban Ocon's Haas
• Strategic Battles: McLaren's offset tire strategy failed to propel Lando Norris past Racing Bulls' defensive masterclass
• Red Bull Revival: Verstappen's dominant performance (fastest lap included) signals potential title contention
• Midfield Surprises: George Russell's brilliant drive from P5 to P2 for Mercedes
• Historic Podium: Carlos Sainz secured Williams' first full-distance podium since 2017

Championship Implications
Piastri's championship lead shrinks to 25 points despite Norris' limited progress. The Australian's uncharacteristic errors included:

1. Qualifying crash on Friday
2. Jumped start penalty
3. Failed overtake attempt on Ocon

Driver Reactions

• Verstappen: "The car felt incredible - we're closing the gap every race."
• Sainz: "This podium means more than my first with Ferrari."
• Piastri: "I'll review the data and come back stronger in Singapore."

Singapore GP Preview
The Marina Bay Street Circuit (Oct 3-5) presents new challenges:

• High-downforce requirements
• Humidity management
• Safety car probability: 87% in last 5 editions

With seven races remaining, the championship battle enters its most volatile phase as teams prepare for Asia's grueling triple-header.