Photo: Race Pictures

Verstappen enjoys 'Incredible' win, Sainz electrified with Williams first podium

15:00, 21 Sep

byTobia Elia

Max Verstappen wins ahead of George Russell and Carlos Sainz: here are the immediate reactions from the top three at the end of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix!

Max Verstappen. Photo: Red Bull Content Pool

Verstappen: 'This weekend has been incredible'

"This weekend has been incredible for us. Monza was already great but for us to win here is fantastic," the Dutchman said at the end of the race.

"The car was working really well on both compounds. We had clean air all the time, so you could look after your tyres, and it was pretty straightforward. It's never easy around here, very windy today, so the car was moving around a lot. I'm incredibly happy with this performance."

When asked if Red Bull can keep up their form over the next races, Verstappen added: "It's difficult to say at the moment but, for sure, the last two weekends have been amazing for us. Singapore is a challenge again with the high downforce."

Russell: 'Really happy to be back on the podium'

"Firstly, congrats to Carlos and Williams. An amazing result for us," the Mercedes driver said after claiming P2 in the race.

"For us really happy to be back on the podium. It has been a bit of a rough weekend for me personally but the car was great. Kimi in P4 as well, so happy with that.

"I was pretty glad when I saw the chequered flag, to be honest. Fortunate I felt much better today than I felt on Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to a bit of rest now but just happy with the result. For us as a team trying to beat Ferrari in the constructors', was a good step towards that."

Sainz: "I cannot describe how happy I am and how good this feels'

"I cannot describe how happy I am and how good this feels. It tastes even better than my first ever podium," Sainz said after claiming his first podium with Williams.

"We have been fighting hard all year and we proved when we had the speed, we had it all year and everything comes together and we can do some amazing things together. We nailed the race, not one mistake and we managed to beat a lot of cars yesterday that we wouldn't have expected to beat."

"I'm extremely proud of everyone at Williams for pushing through a very difficult year. We have proven to everyone the massive step we took compared to last year. We are on the rise and the right direction. Unfortunately with me we had a lot of bad luck and incidents.

"Now I understand why it all happened because the first podium needed to come like this. It's just life. Life sometimes brings you these bad moments to give you a very nice one.

He finally added: "This tastes much better than any other thing I was expecting. It's a life lesson to keep believing and trusting yourself and your team around you because sooner or later it always pays off."

How the Azerbaijan GP unfolded

Max Verstappen cruised to victory in Baku, marking back-to-back wins after Monza and capitalizing on Oscar Piastri’s early retirement to tighten the championship battle.

George Russell crossed the line in second, showing consistent pace, and Carlos Sainz took third, delivering a standout performance for Williams. Kimi Antonelli impressed with fourth place, while Liam Lawson recovered from his strong qualifying to finish fifth.

The race was a setback for Lando Norris and Ferrari, with Norris only managing seventh despite Piastri’s exit. Hamilton and Leclerc came home in eighth and ninth, and Isack Hadjar rounded out the top ten, showcasing a solid drive.

Read the full results of the race here!

Check our latest F1 paddock update below!