F1 Azerbaijan GP LIVE: Race result after huge late crash between Sainz and Perez

Lando Norris recovered from his qualifying disaster by pulling off a late overtake on Max Verstappen to further cut the title lead as Oscar Piastri won a pulsating Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The British driver started from 15th as Verstappen lined up sixth but Norris pulled off a superb drive to make his tyres last before easing past the struggling Dutchman with three laps to go.

Norris finished fourth and took three points out of Verstappen’s title lead, which now stands at 59 points with seven races remaining.

Piastri claimed his second Formula One victory after passing pole-sitter Charles Leclerc with a thrilling move and holding off the Ferrari driver for the rest of the race to take the win. Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz suffered a dramatic late crash as McLaren took over the lead of the constructors’ championship.

Follow live updates from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix with The Independent

F1 AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX - LATEST UPDATES

• Oscar Piastri wins a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix; Leclerc 2nd; Russell 3rd

• Click HERE for the top-10 in Baku

• HUGE CRASH! Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz collide (Lap 50)

• OVERTAKE! Oscar Piastri takes the lead with stunning move (Lap 20)

• READ: F2 race suspended after big crash with car flipped upside-down

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri wins in Baku!

13:38 , Kieran Jackson

The Australian has claimed his second F1 victory - and it’s the drive of the year from the McLaren driver!

Charles Leclerc takes second, while George Russell claims a surprise podium!

4-10: Norris (fastest lap), Verstappen, Alonso, Albon, Colapinto, Hamilton, Bearman

Ollie Bearman gets one point for Haas! Franco Colapinto with his first points too!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: HUGE CRASH! (Lap 50/51)

13:35 , Kieran Jackson

WOW!

Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez have smashed into each other after turn two!

Sainz got ahead of Perez for third at turn one and as Perez looks to get third back after turn two, they collide and they’re both out!

Perez: “What the f***! Is he crazy?!”

Huge drama here! Virtual safety car!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: No penalties for Sainz-Perez crash

18:20 , Kieran Jackson

The stewards have deemed it a racing incident.

A fair judgement, me thinks.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Franco Colapinto after scoring his first F1 points in P8...

17:55 , Kieran Jackson

“To score my first points in Formula 1 is a fantastic feeling. I’m so proud of this team for what we’ve already been able to achieve together.

“I’m delighted to have points on the board to show for all the hard work and effort we’ve been putting in with it only being my second race. We had good pace today being very close to the Aston. To finish seventh and eighth alongside Alex means we’re now P8 in the Constructors’ Championship which is a good step forward and a motivator for the team.

“We still need to keep learning and improving together as it’s a long season with many races left. I’m looking forward to racing in Singapore for the first time next weekend.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: And here’s Checo’s side of the story...

17:39 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Carlos Sainz reacts to his crash with Sergio Perez

17:19 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: A reminder of the top-10 in Baku...

16:58 , Kieran Jackson

1. Oscar Piastri

2. Charles Leclerc

3. George Russell

4. Lando Norris (+fastest lap)

5. Max Verstappen

6. Fernando Alonso

7. Alex Albon

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Lewis Hamilton

10. Ollie Bearman

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri reflects on a memorable day

16:39 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman after claiming a point in P10

16:21 , Kieran Jackson

“I missed some pace in the first stint and lost a few positions there and that put me a bit behind in the race as I got some traffic and lost some time.

“In the second stint, I’m quite happy with the performance. It’s tough when you’re trying to overtake, you really have to push the tires and they get hot, so I was pushing hard to overtake Franco (Colapinto), and eventually Lewis (Hamilton) overtook me, so he was using his experience there to do that.

“I wasn’t going to finish in the points but there was some misfortune in front of me which allowed me to do so.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen reacts to today’s race

16:02 , Kieran Jackson

“Even in quite a bad weekend for me, we didn’t lose too many points. That’s the positive to take. I also know we can do much better, we’ll try to do that next time.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: RACE REPORT

15:44 , Kieran Jackson

Oscar Piastri won a pulsating Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday as Lando Norris recovered from his qualifying disaster by pulling off a late overtake on Max Verstappen to further cut the Dutchman’s title lead.

Piastri claimed his second Formula One victory after passing pole-sitter Charles Leclerc with a thrilling move and holding off the Ferrari driver for the rest of the race to take the win.

Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz suffered a dramatic late crash as McLaren took over the lead of the constructors’ championship.

Full report below:

Piastri wins action-packed Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Sainz and Perez crash late on

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: The Red Bull boss reacts to today’s race

15:30 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ex-F1 driver Mark Webber, who is also Oscar Piastri’s manager!

15:14 , Kieran Jackson

“One of the best drives I’ve seen him pull off. To beat Charles around here is a pretty big deal.

“He’s doubled his win count, to do as he did today... knuckled down and got the job done. The discipline required, leading from the fact - world-class to say the least!”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Driver Standings after Baku

15:01 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris has cut the gap to Max Verstappen, but only from 62 points to 59!

1. Max Verstappen - 313 points

2. Lando Norris - 254 points

3. Charles Leclerc - 235 points

4. Oscar Piastri - 222 points

5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 166 points

7. Sergio Perez - 143 points

8. George Russell - 128 points

9. Fernando Alonso - 58 points

10. Lance Stroll - 24 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points

12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points

13. Alex Albon - 12 points

14. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points

15. Pierre Gasly - 8 points

16. Oliver Bearman - 7 points

16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points

18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points

19. Franco Colapinto - 4 points

20. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points

21. Logan Sargeant - 0 points

22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: McLaren team principal Andrea Stella after Piastri’s win...

14:50 , Kieran Jackson

“He had something in the tank, that was a matter of millimetres. What brilliance in Oscar’s drive today, what teamwork - what a recovery for Lando from 15th on the grid. Such a strong team, strong drivers - very proud of all of them!

“It was the most stressful Sunday afternoon of his life, I hope he has it much more frequently in the future!”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Constructors’ standings

14:40 , Kieran Jackson

McLaren now lead the constructors’ championship by 20 points to Red Bull!

1. McLaren - 476 points

2. Red Bull - 456 points

3. Ferrari - 425 points

4. Mercedes - 309 points

5. Aston Martin - 82 points

6. RB - 34 points

7. Haas - 29 points

8. Williams - 16 points

9. Alpine - 13 points

10. Sauber - 0 points

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Sainz and Perez crash

14:30 , Kieran Jackson

The crash will be investigated by the stewards after the race - but both have suffered with the DNFs!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Time for the podium!

14:19 , Kieran Jackson

Oscar Piastri’s second F1 win - and he is a proud man as he listened to the Australian national anthem in Baku!

It’s followed by the British national anthem for the winning constructor McLaren!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri after winning in Baku...

14:10 , Kieran Jackson

“After the stop, we were pretty close. I knew I had to go for it, went for a pretty big lunge, managed to pull it off and then held on for dear life for 35 laps!

“It was hard work. That definitely goes down as one of the better races of my career.

“It’s a massive team effort, excited to see what the future holds!”

McLaren are now in the lead of the constructors’ championship by 20 points to Red Bull!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc after finishing P2...

14:02 , Kieran Jackson

“On the hard tyres, I was struggling to keep those rears. At the end, I thought it would put us in the wall. McLaren and Oscar have done an exceptional job, huge shame for Carlos on the last lap. Not a great day for the team.

“At the end, I thought when Oscar overtook me it was just a matter of staying calm and overtaking him again. I couldn’t get as close as I wanted. We lose the race when I didn’t defend how I should have done on the straight.”

Strong words from Leclerc...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: George Russell after finishing P3...

13:55 , Kieran Jackson

“On the hard tyre, we were one of the quickest out there - an added bonus to be on the podium.

On the crash: “That was pretty crazy. I was shocked the VSC didn’t come out sooner!”

“I don’t want to get carried away with this podium today, we have a lot of work to do - hopefully Singapore is a slightly better weekend”

TOP-10 IN THE AZERBAIJAN GRAND PRIX!

13:48 , Kieran Jackson

1. Oscar Piastri

2. Charles Leclerc

3. George Russell

4. Lando Norris (+fastest lap)

5. Max Verstappen

6. Fernando Alonso

7. Alex Albon

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Lewis Hamilton

10. Ollie Bearman

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: What a race!

13:46 , Kieran Jackson

A stunning, 51-lap grand prix... with a very dramatic ending!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri on team radio...

13:42 , Kieran Jackson

“Yes! Well done everyone, that was probably the most stressful afternoon of my life! That was a big move. What a day that was, thank you everyone!”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri on the verge here! (Lap 50/51)

13:34 , Kieran Jackson

Two laps left for Piastri in P1, who now has a 3.6 second lead - he’s almost there!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris passes Max Verstappen! (Lap 49/51)

13:33 , Kieran Jackson

Norris has got it done on his title rival!

The McLaren takes sixth with superior speed down the main straight!

Norris also has the fastest lap so astonishingly, it looks like he will reduce the gap to Verstappen in the championship despite starting in 15th!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc in trouble! (Lap 48/51)

13:31 , Kieran Jackson

“No rear tyres at all, no rear tyres.”

His tyres have gone! He’s dropped two seconds behind Piastri and now Perez is half-a-second behind!

Sainz is also half-a-second off Perez! What will happen here?!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Leclerc outside of DRS range to Piastri now (Lap 47/51)

13:29 , Kieran Jackson

Has Leclerc’s challenge come and gone?

Piastri is now one second ahead and the Ferrari did not have DRS on the main straight!

Yet Sergio Perez behind has closed right up and is 0.6 seconds off the Ferrari - could Leclerc drop to third?!

And Sainz is now 1.2 secs off Perez. Four-way battle at the front!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri still retaining the lead (Lap 45/51)

13:26 , Kieran Jackson

Piastri is still somehow keeping the lead!

Leclerc is within half-a-second but can’t get it done yet!

Six laps left...

Top-10: Piastri, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Russell, Verstappen, Norris, Alonso, Albon, Hulkenberg

Norris is chasing down Verstappen - it’s down to five seconds now!

Lewis Hamilton down in P15...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: McLaren think they can catch Verstappen (Lap 41/51)

13:18 , Kieran Jackson

Norris’ engineer: “Imagine Andrea on your shoulders saying zero wheelspin.”

Quite the image! Norris is 12 seconds off still.

In the battle for P1, Piastri - once again - holds off Leclerc brilliantly down the inside.

This is a stunning drive from the Australian - can he keep the lead for the next 10 laps?!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris pits to mediums! (Lap 39/51)

13:16 , Kieran Jackson

“We want pace to catch Verstappen at the end!” This will be entertaining! Norris, in 7th, is now 13 seconds behind the championship leader!

Out in front, Leclerc has dropped to eight-tenths behind Piastri, with Perez now 2 seconds off the Ferrari.

4-10: Sainz, Russell, Verstappen, Norris Alonso, Albon, Hulkenberg

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Dummy from Ferrari! (Lap 37/51)

13:11 , Kieran Jackson

Ferrari tell Leclerc to box opposite Piastri... but he doesn’t go in!

Ferrari trying a dummy call over team radio - but they haven’t outfoxed McLaren!

A pit stop now? That would not make much sense at all!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc’s engineer (Lap 36/51)

13:10 , Kieran Jackson

Leclerc’s engineer: “Come on Charles, keep it up!”

The gap to Piastri remains around the six-tenths mark. Can he somehow get past the McLaren?!

And when will Norris pit? The Brit is two seconds clear of Russell in fifth and now has a pit-stop gap to Alonso in eighth!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: George Russell overtakes Max Verstappen (Lap 34/51)

13:08 , Kieran Jackson

Verstappen not happy and not quick it seems!

George Russell cruises past Verstappen on the straight as the Mercedes man takes sixth - Verstappen drops to seventh!

Could the Dutchman pit again?! He’s already dropped two seconds behind Russell... what has happened to that Red Bull?!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri keeps the lead (Lap 34/51)

13:06 , Kieran Jackson

This is such impressive stuff from Oscar Piastri!

The McLaren holds the inside line at turn one, and Leclerc can’t quite squeeze past at the outside!

And Sergio Perez has now completely closed in on Leclerc... three cars in contention again!

Top-10: Piastri, Leclerc, Perez, Sainz, Norris (yet to pit), Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Hulkenberg

Hamilton is P13.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Verstappen frustrated in P6 (Lap 33/51)

13:04 , Kieran Jackson

Verstappen: “I have no rear grip, the car is jumping.”

Norris will look to put some quick laps together now before pitting late on...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Alex Albon pits (Lap 32/51)

13:03 , Kieran Jackson

Albon finally pits, allowing Norris to run in clean air in fifth.

Verstappen still held behind the McLaren in sixth.

Out in front, Leclerc still within DRS of Piastri but cannot find a way past at turn one!

Intriguing battles everywhere here...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri brilliant in defence! (Lap 29/51)

12:57 , Kieran Jackson

The Australian does terrific to hold off Leclerc down the main straight, shifting to the inside and Leclerc can’t make it move around the outside!

Sergio Perez is trying his best to keep with them, but is now 1.2 seconds off Leclerc.

4-10: Albon (yet to pit), Norris (yet to pit), Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto

Lewis Hamilton in P14.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen and Lando Norris in battle! (Lap 24/51)

12:49 , Kieran Jackson

This is fun!

Norris - yet to pit - is in sixth with F1 title rival Verstappen right on his tail, but the McLaren is making the Red Bull sweat!

Verstappen forced to go down the inside at turn 15, and has lost some pace to Norris! “My brakes are not working,” he says.

At the front, Piastri is 0.6 secs ahead of Leclerc now... with Perez 1.3 secs behind Leclerc.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Three cars in contention for the lead! (Lap 22/51)

12:45 , Kieran Jackson

Sergio Perez is within DRS now of Charles Leclerc - while the Ferrari is trying his best to keep on the back of Piastri, and the Ferrari man also has DRS.

“They are pushing like crazy or they have more grip than us,” says Leclerc.

Terrific racing between these three, and we’re not even halfway through this race!

Top-10: Piastri, Leclerc, Perez, Albon, Norris, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto

Lewis Hamilton is P15...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri takes the lead (Lap 20/51)

12:43 , Kieran Jackson

What a move from Oscar Piastri!

The McLaren driver came from so far back on the main straight but made it work down the inside at turn 1!

Leclerc tried to fight back but Piastri keeps him at bay - we have a new race leader!

Stunning pass!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc retakes the lead (Lap 18/51)

12:38 , Kieran Jackson

Carlos Sainz pits - drops to fifth - and Leclerc retakes the lead!

Oscar Piastri is in second as the Australian surges past Alex Albon down the main straight - and is now just one second behind Leclerc!

Sergio Perez also gets past Albon and he’s in third!

4-10: Albon, Norris, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Gasly

Everyone in this race is on a hard tyre now!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc pits! (Lap 17/51)

12:35 , Kieran Jackson

Leclerc heads in with a comfortable six-second lead and comes out in second, behind new race leader Carlos Sainz!

Alex Albon is just behind Leclerc in third but of course hasn’t pitted!

4-10: Piastri, Perez, Norris (hasn’t pitted), Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Gasly (hasn’t pitted)

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri pits (Lap 16/51)

12:34 , Kieran Jackson

Piastri heads in and comes out JUST ahead of Sergio Perez into turn two!

But Piastri will have cold tyres... can he hold off the rapid Red Bull?! Norris did his bit there, holding up Perez, but the Mexican blasted past down the main straight.

Meanwhile, Yuki Tsunoda is the first driver to retire after a collision with Stroll on lap one - a huge hole in the sidepod of his RB!

1-10: Leclerc, Sainz, Albon, Piastri, Perez, Norris, Verstappen, Russell, Gasly, Alonso

Hamilton is P17 now.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Sergio Perez pits (Lap 15/51)

12:32 , Kieran Jackson

The Red Bull goes in and is now in sixth - will he undercut Piastri, who has not headed in?!

Norris is now holding up Perez - that’s not the team orders we were expecting ahead of this weekend!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen pits (Lap 13/51)

12:31 , Kieran Jackson

Verstappen goes in - 3.1 seconds - and drops to ninth!

Lewis Hamilton also heads in and therefore drops to 18th!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen not happy (Lap 11/51)

12:24 , Kieran Jackson

“I have a zero bite in the car,” says Verstappen, in P5, three seconds off Carlos Sainz ahead of him.

Leclerc is now three seconds clear of Piastri at the front.

Franco Colapinto the first of the top-10 to pit onto hard tyres, and drops to 15th!

The race just settling into a bit of rhythm now... when will the frontrunners make their move in the pits?!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: George Russell on team radio (Lap 9/51)

12:20 , Kieran Jackson

“I think a plastic bag just went in the airbox.”

That would not be ideal for Russell, currently running in P6.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris up to P10! (Lap 8/51)

12:19 , Kieran Jackson

Superior speed for the McLaren and Norris takes 10th place from Ollie Bearman to get up to the points!

Up next... Alex Albon for Williams, four seconds down the road!

Meanwhile, Piastri is 2.3 seconds behind Leclerc now and is told “Plan B.”

1-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon, Norris

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Yuki Tsunoda has an issue! (Lap 5/51)

12:13 , Kieran Jackson

The RB is falling back and is now in 16th - behind Lewis Hamilton who’s up to 15th!

At the front, Leclerc has now just got outside the DRS window as he looks to stretch his lead to Piastri behind.

Lance Stroll, meanwhile, has a puncture and has pitted - he’s down to 20th!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri has DRS on Leclerc! (Lap 3/51)

12:10 , Kieran Jackson

Leclerc has not stretched his lead to over one second and Piastri has DRS on the main straight, keeping the Ferrari in his vision!

Further back, Norris is up to 11th after overtaking Yuki Tsunoda at turn two... Ollie Bearman up next!

1-10: Leclerc, Piastri, Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Russell, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon, Bearman

Lewis Hamilton, starting in the pit-lane, is in 16th in no time!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc keeps the lead!

12:06 , Kieran Jackson

Leclerc gets off the line well at lights out!

He keeps first place, with Piastri in second - but Sergio Perez gets the jump on Carlos Sainz and takes third place at turn 2!

Max Verstappen has got ahead of George Russell too, up to P5!

Lando Norris has made two places up, he’s in P13!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Formation lap!

12:03 , Kieran Jackson

Charles Leclerc leads the 18 cars (with two in the pit-lane) around the Baku City Circuit then for the formation lap!

Lando Norris starts on the hard tyre with most of the grid on the medium...

Who will lead after the first lap?!

A reminder of the starting grid in Baku today:

11:58 , Kieran Jackson

1. Charles Leclerc

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Carlos Sainz

4. Sergio Perez

5. George Russell

6. Max Verstappen

7. Fernando Alonso

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Alex Albon

10. Ollie Bearman

11. Yuki Tsunoda

12. Nico Hulkenberg

13. Lance Stroll

14. Daniel Ricciardo

15. Lando Norris

16. Valtteri Bottas

17. Zhou Guanyu*

18. Pierre Gasly**

Pit lane - Lewis Hamilton***

Pit lane - Esteban Ocon***

*Zhou drops to the back of the grid after power unit changes between practice sessions

**Gasly was disqualified from qualifying after his car breached the fuel flow limit

***Hamilton and Ocon start from the pit lane after taking new power unit elements, breaching their allowances for the season

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Five minutes until lights out!

11:55 , Kieran Jackson

Here we go then!

Charles Leclerc is on pole for the fourth time running in Baku but he is yet to win a race - can he do so today?

Oscar Piastri is alongside him, with Carlos Sainz in third.

Further back, Max Verstappen is sixth, with Lando Norris in 15th and Lewis Hamilton starting from the pit lane - so plenty to keep an eye on throughout this 51-lap grand prix!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Mercedes boss Toto Wolff...

11:51 , Kieran Jackson

“It’s tough to predict, there’s six cars very close together. The race is unknown.

“Medium start, everybody will aim for a one stop. You still need to bring the hard in and not push it too much.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman, who starts P10...

11:48 , Kieran Jackson

“Good clean lap, hopefully we’ll have a good one.

“The racepace will be good, I’m excited for the race.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Time for the national anthem in Baku!

11:45 , Kieran Jackson

It’s one of the best of the year - the Azerbaijan national anthem!

Performed by Nadir Rustamli...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman enjoying another weekend in F1!

11:39 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Race odds!

11:35 , Kieran Jackson

-Charles Leclerc - 4/5

-Oscar Piastri - 9/4

-Max Verstappen - 10/1

-Carlos Sainz - 12/1

-Sergio Perez - 16/1

-George Russell - 18/1

-Lando Norris - 33/1

-Lewis Hamilton - 33/1

Odds provided by Betway

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: F2 race suspended after horror crash in Baku as car flipped upside-down

11:25 , Kieran Jackson

The feature Formula 2 race in Baku was suspended on Sunday morning following a horror crash at the start.

Indian driver Kush Maini stalled his Invicta Racing car at the start, with drivers having to react quickly to avoid him at high-speed.

But two cars could not react in time and Spanish driver Pepe Marti was flipped upside-down after colliding with Maini’s stricken car.

Full story below:

F2 race suspended after horror crash in Baku as car flipped upside-down

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris...

11:20 , Kieran Jackson

“I’m 15th on the grid, it feels a bit different. The task for me every day is to do my job, do what I do best. We could have some fun... our plans and mentality are the same.”

He starts P15.

F1 starting grid in Baku today:

11:15 , Kieran Jackson

1. Charles Leclerc

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Carlos Sainz

4. Sergio Perez

5. George Russell

6. Max Verstappen

7. Fernando Alonso

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Alex Albon

10. Ollie Bearman

11. Yuki Tsunoda

12. Nico Hulkenberg

13. Lance Stroll

14. Daniel Ricciardo

15. Lando Norris

16. Valtteri Bottas

17. Zhou Guanyu*

18. Pierre Gasly**

Pit lane - Lewis Hamilton***

Pit lane - Esteban Ocon***

*Zhou drops to the back of the grid after power unit changes between practice sessions

**Gasly was disqualified from qualifying after his car breached the fuel flow limit

***Hamilton and Ocon start from the pit lane after taking new power unit elements, breaching their allowances for the season

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Martin Brundle explains Adrian Newey’s ‘nasty habit’

11:07 , Kieran Jackson

Martin Brundle alluded to Adrian Newey’s record of winning world championships at various F1 teams as a “nasty habit” following the design guru’s move to Aston Martin on Tuesday.

In turning down Ferrari – and a partnership with Lewis Hamilton in the process – Newey has committed to Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious Aston project. Newey will become a shareholder in the team, in addition to his £20m-a-year contract.

“Adrian Newey is a big name obviously in Formula One,” Sky F1 pundit and former driver Brundle told Sky Sports News on Tuesday.

Read full quotes below:

Martin Brundle reveals Adrian Newey’s ‘nasty habit’ after Aston Martin move

Constructors’ Standings ahead of Azerbaijan GP:

11:02 , Kieran Jackson

Just an eight point gap at the top!

1. Red Bull - 446 points

2. McLaren - 438 points

3. Ferrari - 407 points

4. Mercedes - 292 points

5. Aston Martin - 74 points

6. RB - 34 points

7. Haas - 28 points

8. Alpine - 13 points

9. Williams - 6 points

10. Sauber - 0 points

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc, speaking to Sky Sports...

10:56 , Kieran Jackson

“I always have a 40-minute nap before the walk and talk today!

“A problem can always happen at the start. We’ve got Carlos as well, P3, a good position to start in.

“There was no high fuel running for me in practice. It’s about being at ease with the car on high fuel.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Jacques Villeneuve on ‘papaya rules’ at McLaren

10:50 , Kieran Jackson

“I mean, I don’t want to be demeaning, I’m trying to find the right words, but I find it a little bit pathetic.

“This is F1. It’s the pinnacle. If I was a McLaren fan, I would be upset. Do they really want to win? Do they care? It doesn’t sound like they want to win. You know, it’s very utopic, it’s beautiful, but that’s not F1, you are here to win. That’s all that matters.

“Lando got the better of Piastri for the first half of the season. He’s the one with a chance to win. You play by that rule.”

Lando Norris’ F1 title hopes hit in Azerbaijan after disastrous qualifying

10:42 , Kieran Jackson

Qualifying report

Lando Norris’ title hopes were dealt a huge blow after he suffered a shock elimination from the first part of qualifying as Charles Leclerc took pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for the fourth year in a row.

The British driver arrived in the Land of Fire bidding to turn up the heat on championship leader Max Verstappen, having taken 16 points out of the three-time world champion’s title lead across the last two races.

But the 24-year-old said he was caught out by yellow flags down the long final straight, backing off and unable to improve his time, meaning he will start Sunday’s race from 15th on the grid.

Lando Norris not expecting ‘magical’ Azerbaijan GP result after dismal qualifying

F1 starting grid in Baku today:

10:36 , Kieran Jackson

1. Charles Leclerc

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Carlos Sainz

4. Sergio Perez

5. George Russell

6. Max Verstappen

7. Fernando Alonso

8. Franco Colapinto

9. Alex Albon

10. Ollie Bearman

11. Yuki Tsunoda

12. Nico Hulkenberg

13. Lance Stroll

14. Daniel Ricciardo

15. Lando Norris

16. Valtteri Bottas

17. Zhou Guanyu*

18. Pierre Gasly**

Pit lane - Lewis Hamilton***

Pit lane - Esteban Ocon***

*Zhou drops to the back of the grid after power unit changes between practice sessions

**Gasly was disqualified from qualifying after his car breached the fuel flow limit

***Hamilton and Ocon start from the pit lane after taking new power unit elements, breaching their allowances for the season

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman, who starts P10

10:27 , Kieran Jackson

“Bit disappointed with qualifying, it was a decent result. Looking forward to the race, the long runs went well.

“It’s great to do a full weekend, only focusing on F1. My life has been a bit easier, bit less stressful. “

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris after his terrible qualifying

10:20 , Kieran Jackson

“The car was good. People did their second laps and I didn’t. I had to lift.

“It is what it is, long race ahead. We have some good tyres in the bank, just try and be hopeful. Still hopeful we can get a good result. Bit frustrating.”

Driver Standings ahead of Baku:

10:15 , Kieran Jackson

1. Max Verstappen - 303 points

2. Lando Norris - 241 points

3. Charles Leclerc - 217 points

4. Oscar Piastri - 197 points

5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 164 points

7. Sergio Perez - 143 points

8. George Russell - 128 points

9. Fernando Alonso - 50 points

10. Lance Stroll - 24 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points

12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points

13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points

14. Pierre Gasly - 8 points

15. Oliver Bearman - 6 points

16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points

17. Alex Albon - 6 points

18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points

19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points

20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points

21. Franco Colapinto - 0 points

22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lewis Hamilton will start from the PIT LANE

10:12 , Kieran Jackson

The Mercedes driver starts in the pit lane after changing his power unit and exceeding his engine allocation.

“It’s OK - interesting afternoon, not going to be easy, but will do my best,” he says.

“We’ve been able to make some changes to the car, I’m hoping it’s in a better place today.”

Esteban Ocon will also start in the pit lane...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Raceday!

10:10 , Kieran Jackson

Good morning and welcome to live text coverage of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku!

Charles Leclerc starts on pole for the fourth time running at what is one of his favourite tracks, with Oscar Piastri alongside him and Carlos Sainz in third.

As for the championship leaders? Max Verstappen is P6 while Lando Norris is P16!

The race starts at 12pm!

Lando Norris not expecting ‘magical’ Azerbaijan GP result after dismal qualifying

Saturday 14 September 2024 16:34 , Kieran Jackson

Lando Norris does not expect a “magical” Azerbaijan Grand Prix result after the McLaren driver qualified 17th in a major blow to his title hopes.

The 24-year-old was caught out by yellow flags down the long final straight, backing off and being unable to improve his time, meaning he was knocked out of Q1.

Norris arrived in the Land of Fire bidding to turn up the heat on championship leader Max Verstappen, having taken 16 points out of the three-time world champion’s title lead across the last two races.

Lando Norris not expecting ‘magical’ Azerbaijan GP result after dismal qualifying

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lewis Hamilton not happy after qualifying today

Saturday 14 September 2024 16:11 , Kieran Jackson

“Same Saturday as always. Same thing as every Saturday. Yesterday the car was amazing, felt great. Could have been second row today. But today, the tyres didn’t work all day.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Max Verstappen after qualifying P6...

Saturday 14 September 2024 15:58 , Kieran Jackson

“We made some changes into qualifying which made it harder to drive. We tried to find solutions throughout qualifying but in turn 16, the car became very loose in the corner.

“Ferrari are always quick around here, the last three years they took pole. Ferrari and Charles are very strong. From our side, today we didn’t optimise it. Unfortunately it went the other way.”

Lando Norris’ F1 title hopes hit in Azerbaijan after disastrous qualifying

Saturday 14 September 2024 15:42 , Kieran Jackson

Qualifying report

Lando Norris’ title hopes were dealt a huge blow after he suffered a shock elimination from the first part of qualifying as Charles Leclerc took pole position at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for the fourth year in a row.

The British driver arrived in the Land of Fire bidding to turn up the heat on championship leader Max Verstappen, having taken 16 points out of the three-time world champion’s title lead across the last two races.

But the 24-year-old said he was caught out by yellow flags down the long final straight, backing off and unable to improve his time, meaning he will start Sunday’s race from 17th on the grid.

Lando Norris’ F1 title hopes hit in Azerbaijan after disastrous qualifying

F1 grid: Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Saturday 14 September 2024 15:25 , Kieran Jackson

1. Charles Leclerc

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Carlos Sainz

4. Sergio Perez

5. George Russell

6. Max Verstappen

7. Lewis Hamilton

8. Fernando Alonso

9. Franco Colapinto

10. Alex Albon

11. Ollie Bearman

12. Yuki Tsunoda

13. Pierre Gasly

14. Nico Hulkenberg

15. Lance Stroll

16. Daniel Ricciardo

17. Lando Norris

18. Valtteri Bottas

19. Esteban Ocon

20. Zhou Guanyu*

*Zhou drops to the back of the grid after power unit changes between practice sessions

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Perez P4, Verstappen P6

Saturday 14 September 2024 15:10 , Kieran Jackson

That’s the first time this season that Max Verstappen has been out-qualified by his team-mate!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: McLaren team principal Andrea Stella on Lando Norris’ elimination

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:57 , Kieran Jackson

“We will try and do our best to get back in the points. We were discussing with the FIA why a yellow flag was displayed which was extremely costly in the economy of this weekend. we will try and recover tomorrow.

“The team didn’t say it [the yellow flag] because it was last minute, it was displayed as a yellow. It isn’t necessary when there was a slow car, off-line. This time there was a situation which ideally by the regulations shouldn’t have happened.

“We pay the price, we don’t give up, we move on and we’ll do our best tomorrow to get some good points.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc’s reaction to pole!

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:45 , Kieran Jackson

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Here’s Leclerc’s pole-sealing moment...

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:36 , Kieran Jackson

He loves it around here!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc after qualifying on pole

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:29 , Kieran Jackson

“It’s one of my favourite tracks of the season, I really like it. The pace was always there, in Q3 it was all about staying as close to the walls. The last lap I went for it a bit more, the car felt really good.

“It’s the best we could have hoped for. First and third is where you want to start on this grid, it’s going to be a long race.

“Tyre management will be a big thing tomorrow. We did a good job in Monza but we have to reset, tomorrow is another race with other issues. We’ll do our homework tonight to get ready for tomorrow.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Oscar Piastri after qualifying P2...

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:20 , Kieran Jackson

“I got a bit closer to the walls, risk-reward commitment. I just tried to maximise the car, very happy with Q3.

“I think following around here is going to be really tough, some clean air would be good.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Carlos Sainz after qualifying third...

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:14 , Kieran Jackson

“We had a solid quali, solid day with the two cars, we’ve put ourselves in a very good position for tomorrow. I’ve neve been that hooked up around here but all to play for tomorrow.

“It’s Baku, I’ve never been the best version of myself around here - but tomorrow we will see.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: TOP-10 IN QUALIFYING

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:09 , Kieran Jackson

1. Charles Leclerc

2. Oscar Piastri

3. Carlos Sainz

4. Sergio Perez

5. George Russell

6. Max Verstappen

7. Lewis Hamilton

8. Fernando Alonso

9. Franco Colapinto

10. Alex Albon

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc on pole in Baku!

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:03 , Kieran Jackson

Leclerc goes quicker and takes pole by three-tenths!

Oscar Piastri nips in to get P2 for McLaren, with Carlos Sainz in third.

Max Verstappen all the way down in sixth!

4-10: Perez, Russell, Verstappen, Hamilton, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon

Leclerc: “Let’s gooooo! Yes, nice. Good job boys.”

That’s four pole positions in a row in Baku for Leclerc...

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Alex Albon still has his airbox fan on the car!

Saturday 14 September 2024 14:01 , Kieran Jackson

Bizarre scenes!

Albon drives out of the pit-lane with the airbox fan still on his car! The driver manages to take it off himself and chuck it to the side by the pit lane exit!

I’ve never seen that before... anyway I don’t think it will affect his flying lap or anyone else’s lap!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Sergio Perez...

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:58 , Kieran Jackson

“OK we do a quick turnaround because we don’t want to be the last car.”

3:00 to go.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Charles Leclerc on provisional pole!

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:56 , Kieran Jackson

It’s a Ferrari one-two after the first laps!

Leclerc on top with a 1:41:610, two-tenths ahead of Sainz!

Max Verstappen, after sliding out of the final corner, only sixth-fastest and behind Sergio Perez!

3-10: Piastri, Russell, Perez, Verstappen, Hamilton, Albon, Colapinto, Alonso

5:00 to go, as they all head into the garage.

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Q3 underway!

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:50 , Kieran Jackson

Here we go then - this should be close!

10 drivers involved: Verstappen, Perez, Piastri, Russell, Hamilton, Leclerc, Sainz, Albon, Colapinto, Alonso

It’s all to play for!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman...

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:43 , Kieran Jackson

“Damn it. I’m such an idiot!”

I think he’s angry about a lock-up on his final lap..

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Ollie Bearman misses out!

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:42 , Kieran Jackson

So close for Bearman - but it’s P11 for the British teenager!

Bottom-five and out in Q2 (11-15): Bearman, Tsunoda, Gasly, Hulkenberg, Stroll

Franco Colapinto is up in P6 - four-tenths ahead of Alex Albon in 10th! Wow!

Top-3: Verstappen, Leclerc, Perez

Time for Q3!

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando Norris...

Saturday 14 September 2024 13:27 , Kieran Jackson

“The car was good. People did their second laps and I didn’t. I had to lift.

“It is what it is, long race ahead. We have some good tyres in the bank, just try and be hopeful. Still hopeful we can get a good result. Bit frustrating.”

Driver Standings heading into the Azerbaijan GP:

Saturday 14 September 2024 12:45 , Kieran Jackson

1. Max Verstappen - 303 points

2. Lando Norris - 241 points

3. Charles Leclerc - 217 points

4. Oscar Piastri - 197 points

5. Carlos Sainz - 184 points

6. Lewis Hamilton - 164 points

7. Sergio Perez - 143 points

8. George Russell - 128 points

9. Fernando Alonso - 50 points

10. Lance Stroll - 24 points

11. Nico Hulkenberg - 22 points

12. Yuki Tsunoda - 22 points

13. Daniel Ricciardo - 12 points

14. Pierre Gasly - 8 points

15. Oliver Bearman - 6 points

16. Kevin Magnussen - 6 points

17. Alex Albon - 6 points

18. Esteban Ocon - 5 points

19. Zhou Guanyu - 0 points

20. Logan Sargeant - 0 points

21. Franco Colapinto - 0 points

22. Valtteri Bottas - 0 points

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lewis Hamilton’s reaction to Adrian Newey snubbing Ferrari...

Saturday 14 September 2024 12:35 , Kieran Jackson

Asked ahead of this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix whether he was disappointed that Newey will not be joining the Scuderia, Hamilton replied: “Honestly, no.

“While I have said before that it would be an honour to work with Adrian, I have been part of two championship-winning teams that didn’t have Adrian.

“I think any team would have been happy to have him. At the end of the day he had to do what is right for him. It doesn’t change my goal or my focus for my next move. I still believe 100 per cent that there is lots we can do.”

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Martin Brundle explains Adrian Newey’s ‘nasty habit’

Saturday 14 September 2024 12:25 , Kieran Jackson

Martin Brundle alluded to Adrian Newey’s record of winning world championships at various F1 teams as a “nasty habit” following the design guru’s move to Aston Martin on Tuesday.

In turning down Ferrari – and a partnership with Lewis Hamilton in the process – Newey has committed to Lawrence Stroll’s ambitious Aston project. Newey will become a shareholder in the team, in addition to his £20m-a-year contract.

“Adrian Newey is a big name obviously in Formula One,” Sky F1 pundit and former driver Brundle told Sky Sports News on Tuesday.

Read full quotes below:

Martin Brundle reveals Adrian Newey’s ‘nasty habit’ after Aston Martin move

F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE: Lando in a lego car!

Saturday 14 September 2024 12:18 , Kieran Jackson

This is cool...

Constructors’ Standings ahead of Azerbaijan GP:

Saturday 14 September 2024 12:10 , Kieran Jackson

Just an eight point gap at the top!

1. Red Bull - 446 points

2. McLaren - 438 points

3. Ferrari - 407 points

4. Mercedes - 292 points

5. Aston Martin - 74 points

6. RB - 34 points

7. Haas - 28 points

8. Alpine - 13 points

9. Williams - 6 points

10. Sauber - 0 points

Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website