Azerbaijan GP starting grid gets fresh twist after FIA hands down penalties

The penalties do not affect the top four rows, with George Russell starting from pole position alongside Charles Leclerc on the front row. Behind them, Oscar Piastri and an impressive Isack Hadjar will occupy the second row, with the latter making his return after the injury that ruled him out of the last three races.

The third row is an all-British affair, with reigning world champion Lando Norris starting ahead of seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton. The fourth row is completed by another strong performance from Pierre Gasly, while Max Verstappen will be one of the major disappointments of the day after managing only eighth on the grid.

From Verstappen onwards, the grid begins to be reshuffled as the penalties come into play, with Carlos Sainz dropping to 14th after his five-place grid penalty. This allows the drivers originally qualifying from ninth to 13th to each move up one position, with Sainz ultimately lining up 14th.

The grid then remains unchanged from 15th to 18th, before Valtteri Bottas benefits from his team-mate's penalty and the two Aston Martin penalties to move up to 19th on the grid. Sergio Perez will start directly behind him in 20th after serving his three-place grid penalty.

The Mexican does not drop to the very back because Fernando Alonso and Lance Stroll are already carrying grid penalties that were known since FP1. The two Aston Martin drivers therefore occupy the final two places, with Alonso starting 21st and Stroll 22nd. Perez's penalty is consequently applied within the reshuffled order, but does not send him behind the two Aston Martins.