2025 F1 Azerbaijan GP — Qualifying Chaos!

Racing Statistics
Sep 20
3 min read

Baku City Circuit — Saturday, September 20, 2025.

Max Verstappen delivered under pressure to take pole in a chaotic, stop-start qualifying session marked by six red flags and patches of localized rain. Carlos Sainz Jr. put Williams on the front row, while Liam Lawson produced a career-best P3 for Racing Bulls. Yuki Tsunoda backed up Red Bull’s pace with P6, and Mercedes rookie Andrea Kimi Antonelli stunned with P4, out-qualifying George Russell.

Azerbaijan GP Comedy Starting Grid — 2025 Azerbaijan GP Qualifying Results.. or something like that

Pole: Verstappen masters the mayhem

Max Verstappen (Red Bull) clocked a 1:41.117 to secure a second consecutive pole. Through changing grip, cool-downs, and multiple interruptions, Verstappen kept his preparation laps tidy and nailed the final push when it mattered.

Key time: 1:41.117 (Pole)

Williams joy: Sainz to the front row

Carlos Sainz Jr. (Williams) was ice-cold when the session demanded composure, piecing together a 1:41.595 to claim P2. Smart tire warm-up and clean execution delivered one of Williams’ most eye-catching grid slots in recent memory.

Key time: 1:41.595 (P2)

Breakthrough drive: Lawson in P3

Liam Lawson (Racing Bulls) produced a standout 1:41.707 for P3—his best F1 qualifying result. He kept his head through the stoppages and slick patches, signaling real one-lap potential.

Key time: 1:41.707 (P3)

Rookie statement: Antonelli beats Russell

Andrea Kimi Antonelli (Mercedes) impressed with P4 on a 1:41.717, out-qualifying teammate George Russell. The teenager handled the rhythm-breaking red flags like a veteran and continues to hint at a steep upward trajectory.

Key time: 1:41.717 (P4)

Chart of 2025 Azerbaijan GP qualifying gaps shows 10 team pairs. Colored cars and driver codes indicate time differences in Q1-Q3. — 2025 Azerbaijan GP - Teammate Qualifying Gaps

Tsunoda solid in P6

Yuki Tsunoda (Red Bull) took P6 with a 1:42.143, staying mistake-free despite the disruptions. From that launching pad, strategy could unlock even more on Sunday.

Key time: 1:42.143 (P6)

The session: six reds, rain, and shattered rhythm

Qualifying swung wildly as incidents and light showers shuffled the order:

Q1: Crashes for Alex Albon, Nico Hülkenberg, and Franco Colapinto triggered multiple stoppages.
Q2: Oliver Bearman brushed the wall, bringing another red flag.
Q3: Contacts for Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri added two more reds, extending delays and forcing one-lap shootouts on cooling tires.

With track evolution constantly reset and drizzle hitting sections of the lap, timing the out-laps and tire prep became the ultimate differentiator.

McLaren & Ferrari: momentum checked

McLaren: Lando Norris salvaged P7, while Oscar Piastri’s Q3 crash left him P9 without a representative lap time.
Ferrari: Charles Leclerc’s contact consigned him to P10, and Lewis Hamilton was knocked out in Q2 (P12)—a bruising outcome for a team fancied to fight for the front.

What to watch for in the Azerbaijan GP race

Start dynamics: A Verstappen–Sainz drag race into Turn 1, with Lawson and Antonelli poised to pounce.
Strategy windows: Safety Cars are common in Baku—expect flexible plans and opportunistic stops.
Recovery drives: Norris, Leclerc, Hamilton, and Piastri will try to flip Saturday’s setbacks into Sunday gains.
Straight-line vs. downforce: Teams’ wing choices will dictate overtaking potency on Baku’s monster main straight.

Verdict

Baku did what Baku does—blended walls, wind, and curveballs—leaving Verstappen on pole and the order behind him deliciously scrambled. With contenders out of position and rookies on a charge, Sunday’s Grand Prix promises classic Azerbaijan unpredictability.

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