With no role in the title fight, Max Verstappen is looking ahead to 2026 – or could things change, perhaps with a victory in Azerbaijan? After securing pole position in Baku, following a win in Monza and a second-place finish in Zandvoort, there’s a growing perception in the paddock that Verstappen might pull a Houdini and re-enter the title race. To do so, a win on Sunday is at least necessary, one would think. This and more in the preview!
Verstappen’s Chances in Azerbaijan
Max Verstappen surprised everyone with pole position in Baku, which was not expected before the weekend. However, it became clear on Friday in Azerbaijan that Red Bull and Verstappen have their act together once again, and he impressed with pole position on Saturday. “I’m feeling good,” he said. But he’s not counting his chickens before they hatch. He knows there are still challenging circuits ahead for the RB21. Yet, former Mercedes top executive Norbert Haug and current McLaren team boss Andrea Stella echo what more and more people are thinking: that the Dutchman might still join the title fight after all.
Verstappen has already won in Monza and finished second in Zandvoort. Since the summer break, Red Bull has found its rhythm. Will Verstappen pull off a stunt in Azerbaijan on Sunday? And can he, incidentally, catch up on points with the hitherto invincible McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris? The fact that they are starting in ninth and seventh place offers hope.
McLaren’s Constructors’ Title
How Sunday will go for McLaren is very much up in the air. The disappointing starting positions don’t bode well, but there could still be a big celebration at the end. If the British team scores nine more points than Ferrari on Sunday, the constructors’ title will be theirs. And this is only GP number 17 out of 24.
“This speaks volumes about the dominance of the British this season, with two high-scoring drivers like Norris and Piastri. However, it also indicates that there has never been a real challenger; every other team has had phases where things didn’t go well. McLaren knows: one solid double result in Baku could be enough for the second consecutive constructors’ title.
Wind Once Again a Factor
We saw it on Saturday: the influence of the wind on the behavior of the Formula 1 cars. The streets of Baku are located right on the Caspian Sea, the city is notorious for its heavy gusts of wind. On the 2.2 kilometer long straight, a sudden gust of wind can, for example, cause dangerous instability when braking for turn 1. “You also quickly suffer from it in other places as a driver, there are many open spaces in this city on this circuit,” Max Verstappen rightly noted on Saturday. Therefore, the wind is an additional opponent for many on the Azerbaijani asphalt.
Ferrari in Low Spirits
Ferrari had high hopes for a result in Baku, regardless. Not Verstappen, but Charles Leclerc could possibly take pole in Azerbaijan. That would then be for the fifth time, Lewis Hamilton would be buoyed by the immense popularity with the Azerbaijani public (see the madness in the pit lane last Thursday). However, the qualification turned out to be a disappointment: Leclerc ended up in the wall in Q3, Hamilton didn’t even make it to that last part of the session. The contrast is clear: where Ferrari hoped for a good weekend, it has once again become one where the Italians are already 2-0 down at the start.
And Furthermore…
…no one has won in Baku more than twice – Sergio Pérez holds the record.
…a lap is 6003 meters long
…the distance from start to braking point at turn 1 is only 141 meters
…the chance of a safety car statistically in Baku is 57 percent
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