Steiner identifies long road ahead for podium sitters after Baku joy

Carlos Sainz claimed Williams' first podium in four years at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Former team boss Guenther Steiner therefore named Carlos Sainz as his 'rockstar of the week' in The Red Flags Podcast.

"You can't have anybody else. P2 qualifying, then bring it home pretty secure in the race, no mistake, nothing, just a good race. How does Carlos say it? A smooth operation," he began.

Despite the podium, Steiner believes Williams is still a long way from consistently challenging the top teams, calling this result an “outlier.”

"But the step to being in the top four is still big. It's not there, it's still a long way to go," he explained.

Currently, Steiner sees only a single team that could challenge the Grove-based outfit for P5 in the standings. "The only ones which at the moment can get somehow near them is Racing Bulls, all the other ones they left behind.

This podium was also the first with James Vowles in charge. The Brit, who previously worked for Mercedes, received joking praise from Toto Wolff.

"Obviously the lucky bastard is more jovial," the Austrian began in Baku.

"Everybody delivered (in Baku). The driver delivered, the pit stops were good. Overall it's a trajectory that I enjoy seeing with him and for the team," he concluded.

Not only Carlos Sainz scored his first Williams podium, but there were other great storylines last weekend in Baku.

Watch our F1 Paddock Update video here to recap the Azerbaijan GP!