Round 17 of the 2025 F1 Championship is done and dusted. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix wasn’t short of drama and entertainment. Pre-race favorite Oscar Piastri experienced his worst weekend of the campaign, while Max Verstappen’s expert strategy proved the difference between his RB21 and the grid. Carlos Sainz stepped onto the podium for the first time in a Williams racing suit, and Liam Lawson produced the performance of his life. Here is your recap from the race that was.
The papayas will be desperate to put the result in Azerbaijan behind them. Pre-event favorite Oscar Piastri endured the wrath of the streets of Baku all weekend, starting with a reprimand for a yellow flag infringement in FP2 on Friday. His luck worsened in Q3 on Saturday when the Aussie contributed to a record six red flags after crashing into the barrier of Turn #3, sending him into ninth on the grid. His appearance on Sunday was short-lived as the driver’s Championship leader false-started, then stalled and ultimately collided with the barrier at Turn #5 on the opening lap.
His teammate and nearest rival in the standings, Lando Norris, couldn’t capitalize on Piastri’s misfortunes. He did what he could on track, but was constantly absorbing dirty air, hampering his pace. It didn’t help that he had to wait 4.1 seconds for his team to complete the box, costing him precious seconds in his pursuit of the leaders. Norris had to settle for seventh place.
Glory For Red Bull
Red Bull produced the winning vehicle for the fourth time this season. Their first consecutive trip inside Victory Lane in 2025. The team hailed Max Verstappen’s race acumen and vision after he pressed management to start on hard tires. This would allow the team to spend more time out on the track in anticipation of a safety car in the middle and at the backend of the race. Instead, it arrived on the first lap, but the strategy meant that Red Bull Racing could keep their drivers out on the track for longer, allowing them to extend the gap as their rivals pitted earlier.
Yuki Tsunoda was a beneficiary of this strategy and delivered his finest performance in an RB21 vehicle. The Japanese driver came home in sixth place, giving Red Bull their highest collection of units in a single race this year. Tsunoda lined up for the weekend with +707 odds for a top-six finish. Had you put your trust in him to the tune of $20, you’d be $161.40 better off now.
Carlos Sainz Pays Out
Carlos Sainz has battled to find his rhythm throughout the season at his new team. The Spaniard hadn’t produced a single top-six finish before arriving in the Transcontinental nation, but he departed on Sunday with his maiden podium for Williams. Besides handing his team their first rostrum since 2021, he also produced the best paying bet of the weekend. He took the streets of Baku at +6949 for a top-three finish, which was paying approximately $1409.80 for a $20 wager.
Career Best For Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson continues to earn the respect of Formula 1 fans for his fighting spirit. After the Chinese Grand Prix, he was being thrown to the wolves, dropped from the Red Bull single seater to the junior team, Racing Bulls. For many, that would’ve broken them, but this kiwi is going from strength to strength. His career-best fifth place in Baku delivered a lucrative payout for any punter who had Lawson for a top six. He started the weekend at +1493 to achieve the feat, and potentially paid out $318.60 on a $20 bet.
Four races remain in the 2025 Formula 1 season, and unlike the constructors, the Drivers are going all the way down to the wire. Lando Norris sits in the driver’s seat after the Mexican Grand Prix, one point clear of his teammate Oscar Piastri. At the same time, four-time champion Max Verstappen is the most …
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We are back and ready for racing after a three-week break, and it’s full speed ahead as we enter the final 10 rounds of the season. Oscar Piastri leads the Championship by nine points and tops the F1 Dutch Grand Prix pre-event odds, ahead of Lando Norris. Max Verstappen returns to his homeland searching for …
Formula 1 continues its escapades in the Americas this weekend with a trip to the City of Palaces. Max Verstappen is on a high after securing the maximum compliment of points on offer in Austin and is pushing the Drivers Championship down to the wire. The Dutchman takes the driver’s seat in the F1 Mexico …
2025 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Recap: Horror Show For Piastri And Victory For Verstappen
Round 17 of the 2025 F1 Championship is done and dusted. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix wasn’t short of drama and entertainment. Pre-race favorite Oscar Piastri experienced his worst weekend of the campaign, while Max Verstappen’s expert strategy proved the difference between his RB21 and the grid. Carlos Sainz stepped onto the podium for the first time in a Williams racing suit, and Liam Lawson produced the performance of his life. Here is your recap from the race that was.
Disaster For McLaren
The papayas will be desperate to put the result in Azerbaijan behind them. Pre-event favorite Oscar Piastri endured the wrath of the streets of Baku all weekend, starting with a reprimand for a yellow flag infringement in FP2 on Friday. His luck worsened in Q3 on Saturday when the Aussie contributed to a record six red flags after crashing into the barrier of Turn #3, sending him into ninth on the grid. His appearance on Sunday was short-lived as the driver’s Championship leader false-started, then stalled and ultimately collided with the barrier at Turn #5 on the opening lap.
His teammate and nearest rival in the standings, Lando Norris, couldn’t capitalize on Piastri’s misfortunes. He did what he could on track, but was constantly absorbing dirty air, hampering his pace. It didn’t help that he had to wait 4.1 seconds for his team to complete the box, costing him precious seconds in his pursuit of the leaders. Norris had to settle for seventh place.
Glory For Red Bull
Red Bull produced the winning vehicle for the fourth time this season. Their first consecutive trip inside Victory Lane in 2025. The team hailed Max Verstappen’s race acumen and vision after he pressed management to start on hard tires. This would allow the team to spend more time out on the track in anticipation of a safety car in the middle and at the backend of the race. Instead, it arrived on the first lap, but the strategy meant that Red Bull Racing could keep their drivers out on the track for longer, allowing them to extend the gap as their rivals pitted earlier.
Yuki Tsunoda was a beneficiary of this strategy and delivered his finest performance in an RB21 vehicle. The Japanese driver came home in sixth place, giving Red Bull their highest collection of units in a single race this year. Tsunoda lined up for the weekend with +707 odds for a top-six finish. Had you put your trust in him to the tune of $20, you’d be $161.40 better off now.
Carlos Sainz Pays Out
Carlos Sainz has battled to find his rhythm throughout the season at his new team. The Spaniard hadn’t produced a single top-six finish before arriving in the Transcontinental nation, but he departed on Sunday with his maiden podium for Williams. Besides handing his team their first rostrum since 2021, he also produced the best paying bet of the weekend. He took the streets of Baku at +6949 for a top-three finish, which was paying approximately $1409.80 for a $20 wager.
Career Best For Liam Lawson
Liam Lawson continues to earn the respect of Formula 1 fans for his fighting spirit. After the Chinese Grand Prix, he was being thrown to the wolves, dropped from the Red Bull single seater to the junior team, Racing Bulls. For many, that would’ve broken them, but this kiwi is going from strength to strength. His career-best fifth place in Baku delivered a lucrative payout for any punter who had Lawson for a top six. He started the weekend at +1493 to achieve the feat, and potentially paid out $318.60 on a $20 bet.
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