BAKU, AZERBAIJAN – SEPTEMBER 20: Top three qualifiers Pole position qualifier Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing Second placed qualifier Carlos Sainz of Spain and Williams and Third placed qualifier Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on September 20, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Bryn Lennon – Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images)
Formula 1 via Getty Images
Max Verstappen of Red Bull secured pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix at a wild qualifying session that featured a record six red flags and rain interference.
This is the Dutchman’s sixth pole position of the season and his first at Baku Street Circuit, clocking in at 1:41.117 to beat Carlos Sainz of Williams by just under half a second. Following Sainz on the grid is Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson, with Mercedes pair Andrea Kimi Antonelli and George Russell starting in fourth and fifth respectively.
It wasn’t a fortunate day for McLaren as championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed into the barrier at Turn 3, triggering a record sixth red flag with less than four minutes remaining in Q3.
Piastri’s teammate and title rival Lando Norris couldn’t capitalize on Piastri’s mishap, managing only to qualify in seventh behind Yuki Tsunoda of Red Bull and ahead of Isack Hadjar of Racing Bulls. This missed opportunity could weigh heavily on Norris as he trails Piastri by 31 points in the standings in the chase for a maiden drivers’ title.
With Norris starting in P7 and Piastri in P9, both will have to push their way up the grid on Sunday as they need a one-two finish – or outscore Ferrari by nine points – to wrap up the team’s second consecutive constructors’ title this weekend.
Elsewhere, it was a disastrous day for Ferrari, with Charles Leclerc crashing at Turn 15 during Q3 and bringing out the fifth red flag of the qualifying session. Leclerc will start the race in 10th place while seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton finds himself down in 12th following his Q2 elimination as he struggled to replicate his practice pace from Friday.
Esteban Ocon of Haas secured 18th place but was later disqualified from the qualifying results due to excessive rear wing flex.
2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Starting Grid
Here’s the starting order for Sunday’s race at Baku City Circuit:
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull): 1:41.117
- Carlos Sainz (Williams): +0.478
- Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls): +0.590
- Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes): +0.600
- George Russell (Mercedes): +0.953
- Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull): +1.026
- Lando Norris (McLaren): +1.122
- Isack Hadjar (Racing Bulls): +1.255
- Oscar Piastri (McLaren)
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari)
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin)
- Lewis Hamilton (Ferrari)
- Gabriel Bortoleto (Sauber)
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin)
- Oliver Bearman (Haas)
- Franco Colapinto (Alpine)
- Nico Hulkenberg (Sauber)
- Pierre Gasly (Alpine)
- Alex Albon (Williams)
- Esteban Ocon (Haas)* DSQ
The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix race starts at 3 p.m. local time on Sunday, September 21.