Max Verstappen confirmed his number one-status with his second victory in a week, bringing Red Bull Racing closer to the F1 World Championship of 2025, despite the fierce competition from McLaren.
In the bustling streets of Baku, Max Verstappen has again proven why he is considered the undisputed number one in Formula 1. With a dominant achievement in the Grand Prix of Azerbaijan, the Dutch driver took his second consecutive victory in just as many weeks, after his triumph in Monza. This victory, his fourth of the season, has not only brought Red Bull Racing closer to the coveted constructors title, but also strengthens Verstappen’s personal hunt for a fifth world title in a row. Despite the fierce edition of McLaren, which distributes the sheets throughout the season, the 27-year-old champion from Hasselt shows that he has not yet been eliminated in this exciting edition of 2025.
The race in Baku was a textbook example of Verstappen’s mastery. From pole position, which he had conquered the day before in one of the most chaotic qualification sessions from F1 history, he led from start to finish. The RB21 from Red Bull, which was struggling with balance problems earlier in the season, seemed perfectly adjusted to the demanding street circuit. Verstappen started with soft tires and quickly built up a comfortable lead, which he never gave up during the 51 laps. “This weekend was incredible for us,” he said afterwards with a broad grin in the Parc Fermé. “Last weekend in Italy was fantastic, but here in Baku everything perfectly coincides, that feels like a breakthrough. We have worked hard on the car, and now it is starting to render.”
The contrast with his rivals at McLaren could not be sharper. Oscar Piastri, the Australian who leads the entire season in the championship, had a dramatic start. Started from ninth place after a collision with the wall in qualification, he jumped away too early at the start – a rare error for the precise Piastri. In the chaos of the opening round, he slid off the track in turn five and crashed, with which he lost 25 points to his lead. His teammate Lando Norris, also struggling after a disappointing qualification in seventh place, could not hold better than that position. The British driver finished grinding teeth, frustrated about the strategy and the pace of the MCL39, which turned out to be unexpectedly vulnerable in Baku. With this bad luck for McLaren Kromp Piastri’s lead on Verstappen to just 69 points, while Norris is now at 44 points distance. With seven races to go, including the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, the title race suddenly starts to live again.
Behind Verstappen, a surprising stage completed the top three. Carlos Sainz, who recently made the switch to Williams, grabbed his chance and finished second with a clear race. The Spaniard, who finished 4.5 seconds behind Verstappen, benefited optimally from the early chaos and narrowly kept George Russell behind him. Russell, in the Mercedes, had to settle for third place after an exciting duel with his teammate and the emerging Kimi Antonelli. The rest of the field had the necessary agitation: Liam Lawson in the second Red Bull scored solid points in fourth place, while Yuki Tsunoda, who recently got back his seat at Red Bull, disappointed with an eighth place. The only dropout next to Piastri was Pierre Gasly in the Alpine, who knew MotorKech.
This victory marks a turning point for Red Bull. At the start of the season, McLaren seemed unbeatable, with Piastri and Norris who dominated race after race. The MCL39 excelled on high -speed circuits such as Australia and China, where Verstappen struggled with tire wear and aerodynamic shortcomings in the RB21. In the opening race in Melbourne he finished second, after a heroic fight in the rain with Norris and Piastri. But in China a frustrating fourth place followed, and the team even replaced driver Lawson temporarily with Tsunoda in an attempt to restore the balance. Experts such as Karun Chandhok praised Verstappens Unbreakable Mentality, licking him to Michael Schumacher in his merciless approach. “Max is the fastest driver in the world,” Chandhok said recently. “He creates magic out of nowhere, but also knows how he wins races when it comes down to it.”
The recent upgrades on the Red Bull car seem to work. In Monza, a week ago, Verstappen took pole and led comfortably to the victory, with Piastri on stage but Norris outside the points due to a strategic mistake. Baku continued: the aerodynamics was tightened for the long straight pieces and tight turns, and the tire management – a weak point earlier – was perfected. “We were able to improve bits,” Verstappen admitted. “I can make some things even sharper, but this is a positive signal.” Teamrincipal Christian Horner was euphoric: “Max has confirmed his status. With this momentum we are steadily approaching. The title has not yet been decided.”
Yet the road to the crown stays bumpy. McLaren, with his revolutionary MCL39, has a lead of 104 points in the constructor stand for these two races. Piastri’s crash was an outlier; Normally he is ruthlessly efficient. Norris, struggling with inconsistency in crucial moments, has to recover in Singapore, a circuit where McLaren is historically strong. Verstappen himself puts into perspective: “It’s hard to say, but the last two weekends were Amazing. We are fighting through.” Analysts agree: a Verstappen title is not impossible, but requires perfect execution. Red Bull has to win every race, while McLaren Hapert.
Outside the track, Verstappen celebrates his successes in private. In April he welcomed his first daughter, a bright spot in the middle of the pressure. His off-track adventures, such as the recent GT3 victory with Verstappen.com at the 24 hours of Spa, show his broad passion for motor sport. But on the track he is focused: “I would not be surprised if we extend this streak.” With seven races about – from Singapore to the final in Abu Dhabi – everything depends on the following confrontations. Can Red Bull close the gorge? Or does McLaren recover? One thing is certain: Verstappen, the number one, will go to the limit.
