SERGIO PEREZ has WON the Azerbaijan Grand Prix by pipping Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen to the chequered flag.
It’s a triumph that sees Red Bull secure four consecutive first-place finishes this season.
While British serial winner, Lewis Hamilton could only achieve fourth spot.
- RESULT: Perez (P1) Verstappen (P2) Leclerc (P3)
- Live stream: NOW TV
- TV channel: Sky Sports F1
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Drivers standings heading into Miami Grand Prix
Here are how the driver’s championship standings look as we head into the next race in Miami.
- Max Verstappen (Red Bull) 93 pts
- Sergio Perez (Red Bull) 87 pts
- Fernando Alonso (Aston Martin) 60 pts
- Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 48 pts
- Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) 34 pts
- Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 28 pts
- George Russell (Mercedes) 28 pts
- Lance Stroll (Aston Martin) 27 pts
In the race for the world championship it is all to play for with very little between the two Red Bull drivers.
See you in Miami.
Final standings for Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Here are the full race standings from Baku.
Sergio Perez was ‘driver of the day’.
George Russell recorded the fastest lap time on the very last lap of the day.
Credit: @F1 Perez celebrates big win in Baku
Sergio Perez completes a clean sweep of wins and becomes the first driver to get multiple wins in Baku.
The Mexican driver really enjoyed this one.
Verstappen gracious in defeat
As the three drivers sit and watch the race back before the podium, Perez says to his team mate he was unlucky with the safety car.
“Ah these things happen, you had the same in Jeddah” is the reply from the Dutch driver.
Good to see the Red Bull drivers appreciating each other backstage.
Charles Leclerc tells the pair how he held off Fernando Alonso who was only 0.6 seconds behind him after his final push.
Checo claims sixth Grand Prix win
Sergio Perez has had some weekend in Baku.
Winning both the sprint race and the Grand Prix.
You can see how much it means to the Red Bull driver.
Credit: Reuters Red Bull continue win streak
Sergio Perez becomes the first multiple winner of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, adding to his 2021 victory.
Max Verstappen paid the price for pitting the lap before the safety car came out.
Charles Leclerc did well to hold off Fernando Alonso and get his first podium finish of the season.
The change of tyres right at the end worked for George Russell as he took the fastest lap of the day for the extra point.
Credit: Reuters Azerbaijan Grand Prix results
- Sergio Perez
- Max Verstappen
- Charles Leclerc
- Fernando Alonso
- Carlos Sainz
Sergio Perez wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix
Lap 50/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Max Verstappen closes Sergio Perez’s lead to 3 seconds.
Lewis Hamilton seems to be shaving a little off Carlos Sainz’s lead but then it goes back up to around the 1.1 second mark.
George Russell looks ready to pit as he will be able to pit and come back out in the same position, eighth place.
He will go for the fastest lap of the day then for the extra points.
Fernando Alonso currently holds the fastest lap.
Credit: Getty
Lap 48/51 – Perez holds off team mate
This could be a big win for Sergio Perez to gain on Max Verstappen in the championship standings.
Meanwhile, Lando Norris does brilliantly on turn seven to take Niko Hulkenberg and move into the points.
With the ease he took him, you have to question whether Niko’s tyres have gone.
Lewis Hamilton is struggling to make his move on Carlos Sainz.
Lap 46/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen trails
It is looking like Sergio Perez has this race sewn up.
Max Verstappen is struggling to gain on him at all.
His team mate takes his lead back up to 3.5 seconds.
Charles Leclerc is going hard and managing to keep Fernando Alonso a decent distance from him.
Carlos Sainz is a huge distance behind the Spanish Aston Martin driver.
Lap 44/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Max Verstappen is hugging the walls on the turns.
You would struggle to get a credit card between his car and the advertising walls.
He has slightly closed the gap on Perez but the Mexican has put in the fastest lap of the day.
The interesting duals are the race for third and fifth places.
Both Alonso and Hamilton are putting the pressure on.
Suddenly from nowhere, Charles Leclerc puts in the fastest lap.
Lap 42/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Fernando Alonso seems game to push that podium.
He asks his team how many laps left, on hearing the answer he says “good number, let’s go for it!”
Currently he is 4.6 seconds behind Charles Leclerc.
Verstappen is 3.5 seconds behind Perez and may be settling for second place here today.
Meanwhile Carlos Sainz gets some good exits from the turns to keep a DRS infused Lewis Hamilton at bay.
Credit: Reuters Lap 40/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
With everyone seemingly looking for a one-stop race, Fernando Alonso seems like he is trying to manage his tyres.
He was within seconds of Leclerc at one stage but now the gap is considerable.
Aston Martin could be waiting for the last ten laps to reassess and decide whether they go for a tyre change.
Mercedes are readying the pit, Russell who is in eighth place may be looking to try and get a fastest lap in.
It would take some driving for Fernando Alonso to get another podium finish in Baku today.
Lap 38/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen chases
Lewis Hamilton has shaved a lot of Carlos Sainz’s lead thanks to the use of DRS.
Only 0.42 seconds behind the Ferrari now.
Meanwhile, Perez has opened up a 3 second lead over Verstappen now, not something we have seen much of this season.
Charles Leclerc has a sizable lead over Fernando Alonso.
Lap 36/51 – Perez and Verstappen open lead
The Red Bull cars now have a mammoth 13 second gap on the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc in third place.
Starting at the front of the grid, many said that a sprint track like this could see the Ferrari driver go for a win.
However, this Red Bull car makes it look like two boxers from very different weight classes sparring.
Fernando Alonso has a 7 second lead over Carlos Sainz in fifth now.
Lap 34/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
It remains to be seen whether Verstappen considers a tyre change to take on Sergio Perez in this race.
Red Bull do have a set of hard compounds available, something Ferrari do not have the luxury of.
Lewis Hamilton isn’t happy with his tyres and may consider another pit before the end of the race.
The key is doing it at the right time and he could use it to his advantage.
Lap 32/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Max Verstappen is reporting some car issues with the diff and braking.
He is still able to put in the fastest lap of the day.
The Dutchman has a 12 seconds gap to Charles Leclerc in third now.
Fernando Alonso is closing the gap on the Ferrari in third.
Credit: Getty Lap 30/51 – Perez first, Verstappen second
Red Bull gives you wins, should be the F1 mantra this season.
The constructor’s championship may be awarded earlier than seen for some time.
Potentially, the ‘box, box’ call to Verstappen before the safety car came out could cost him this race to Perez.
Sergio Perez now has a 2.3 second lead on his team mate.
Lap 28/51 – Perez leads from Verstappen
While the Red Bull car is obviously better than anything else F1 has to offer this season, you cannot take anything away from the drivers.
Both Perez and Verstappen have driven good races here today, opening a huge gap to the field.
Charles Leclerc seemed unable to do anything in losing position to the Red Bull pair.
When DRS is active it is like a Ford Fiesta trying to pull away from a supercar at traffic lights.
Lap 26/51 – Perez leads from Verstappen
Unless something drastic happens this is turning into a battle of the Red Bulls in Baku.
They have a 10 second leads on Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari in third place.
Only a safety car could mix things up here.
Alonso seems content in fourth right now, not looking to put pressure on Leclerc just yet.
Carlos Sainz is 3.5 seconds behind the Aston Martin car.
Lap 24/51 – Red Bulls lead the way
Sergio Perez has gained two places on his grid start.
He is driving well to go toe to toe with Max Verstappen.
Having to put in some fast laps to keep the lead.
The two Ferraris occupy third and fifth with Fernando Alonso sandwiched in between them.
Mercedes are talking tactics on the radio, believing Lance Stroll is planning a one-stop strategy to the race.
Lap 22/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
The replay shows Stroll had some serious understeer on that corner and had to over-compensate.
It was the opening Hamilton needed to take him.
Sergio Perez has a 1.3 second lead on his team mate.
Lance Stroll is having to defend against George Russell now.
The Red Bulls are 8.6 seconds ahead of the Ferrari in third place now.
Credit: AFP Lap 20/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Fernando Alonso feeds back to his team some brake balance tips for team mate Lance Stroll.
It is like the Spaniard has woken up on the right side of the bed today, he is all about the love for Lance Stroll.
Max Verstappen puts in the fastest lap.
The Baku drift is seeing a lot of cars kissing the barriers on some turns.
Lance Stroll gets turn 16 all wrong and allows Lewis Hamilton through who had DRS in play.
Lap 18/51 – Perez leads, Verstappen second
Sergio Perez can breathe a sigh of relief.
They were looking at a potential unsafe release as he pulled out of the pit in front of Charles Leclerc who was coming in.
It has been reviewed with no further action taken.
Lance Stroll clips the wall on a corner and radios in for his team to check his tyre integrity.
He still holds sixth place ahead of Lewis Hamilton.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
