Max Verstappen’s emphatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix win jolts F1 title chase

When the Formula 1 season resumed following the Summer Shutdown, two of the major storylines facing the grid centered on McLaren: When would they clinch their second-consecutive Constructors’ Championship title, and when would either Oscar Piastri or Lando Norris lock down the Drivers’ title?

However, the champagne remains on ice thanks to Max Verstappen, who can start thinking about his own title hopes after a dominant performance in Baku.

After capturing pole position in a dramatic qualifying session on Saturday that saw a record number of red flags, Verstappen went wire-to-wire on Sunday, taking the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for his second-straight win. With Piastri crashing on the opening lap, and Norris failing to capitalize after that incident and settling for a seventh-place finish, Verstappen closed to within 44 points of Norris for second place in the Drivers’ Championship, and just 69 points of championship leader Piastri.

“They’re all a bit different, but I think this weekend has been incredible for us. Of course, last weekend was already great. But yeah, for us to win here again is just fantastic,” said Verstappen trackside after the race. “And I think also in the race, the car was working really well. On both of the compounds, we had clean air all the time, and you could then look after your tyres. And yeah, it was pretty straightforward. Of course, it’s not easy around here — very windy today, so the car is always moving around a lot. But yeah, of course, incredibly happy with this performance.”

When the season resumed in late August, Norris had won three out of four grands prix, including the Hungarian Grand Prix, where Verstappen finished a distant ninth. At that point in the season, Piastri led Norris by just nine points, with Verstappen 97 points behind the leader.

Since then, however, Verstappen has roared back into the fight. After finishing second at the Belgian Grand Prix (won by Piastri with Norris retiring due to a failure with his MCL39), Verstappen has won both the Italian Grand Prix and now the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Those two wins have jolted the title race and put the Red Bull driver back in the mix.

With seven race weekends remaining -- including a trio of F1 Sprint race weekends -- Verstappen has certainly improved his chances of winning a fifth Drivers’ title.

However, math and history may not be on his side, something the living legend conceded on Sunday.

At this point last season, Verstappen enjoyed a 59-point advantage over Norris in the Drivers’ Championship race, a gap that closed to 52 points when Norris won the Singapore Grand Prix in dominant fashion.

But that was as close as the title chase got a year ago, with Verstappen eventually clinching his fourth Drivers’ Championship in Las Vegas and ultimately winning the title by 63 points.

While he is mathematically alive, as RaceFans noted via their Championship Points Calculator, even if Verstappen were to win the seven remaining grands prix -- as well as the three sprint races -- Piastri finishing second in each of those events would see the Australian driver through to his first title.

By a gap of 17 points.

Asked if the two recent wins have given him a “smidgen of hope” that the title is within range, Verstappen pointed to the uphill climb.

“I mean, I don’t rely on hope. But it’s seven rounds left – 69 points is a lot. So I personally don’t think about it,” said Verstappen. “I just go race by race, what I have been doing basically the whole season — just trying to do the best we can, try to score the most points that we can. And then after Abu Dhabi, we’ll know.”

Beyond the math is the history. While Monza and the Baku City Circuit have been fertile ground for Verstappen, Singapore, the site of the next race, has been a thorn in his side over his illustrious career. Verstappen has never won in Singapore, with his best finish coming a year ago when he finished second to Norris.

More than 20 seconds behind.

Verstappen noted that history on Sunday.

“Difficult to say at the moment, but for sure the last two race weekends have been amazing for us. Singapore — completely different challenge again with the high downforce. So we’ll see what we can do there,” said Verstappen trackside.

“Well, I have never won. Red Bull has won, right? We’ll see. It’s completely different. High downforce. A lot of deg on the tyres, so we’ll see what happens. I really don’t know at the moment,” added Verstappen.

Two impressive weeks have put the prospects of a fifth Verstappen title back on the table, and put the Red Bull driver into a position he has not been in since 2021: As the hunter, and not the hunted.

If his tremendous form continues through Singapore, and he breaks through with his first win in that race?

Watch out.