Verstappen converts pole to lights-to-flag win in Baku

Max Verstappen converted pole into a commanding lights-to-flag victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku on Sunday, completing a weekend that also produced the fastest lap and leaving him once more as the driver to beat. The Red Bull driver led from the start at the Baku City Circuit and, after an early safety car period, pulled clear to take back-to-back wins and cut his deficit in the drivers championship to 69 points behind leader Oscar Piastri and 44 behind Lando Norris, with seven races remaining.

The race followed a chaotic qualifying session that produced multiple red flags. Verstappen and Red Bull opted for a bold strategy by starting on hard tyres, a call team principal Laurent Mekies said was largely driven by the driver. Mekies said Verstappen pushed for the harder rubber to allow flexibility should safety cars appear; only Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell among the top contenders began on that compound. The plan paid off as Verstappen managed his tyres, made a single pit stop and extended a decisive advantage.

George Russell finished second for Mercedes after battling illness across the weekend, while Carlos Sainz delivered a strong drive to claim third for...