F1 Azerbaijan GP live commentary and updates – race

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Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Simon Galloway / LAT Images via Getty Images

Verstappen on "straightforward" victory

Max Verstappen on winning the Azerbaijan Grand Prix: "This weekend has been incredible, for us to win here again is fantastic. The car was fantastic on both compounds, we had clean air all the time, so it was pretty straightforward.

"Windy today, so the car was moving around a lot, but I'm happy with the performance. I think in the race you have to be more careful and make the one stop work, so I think everything was a bit more cautious - I was happy there was not too many safety cars! For sure the last two race weekends for us have been great, but Singapore is a completely different challenge with high downforce. Let's see what we can do there."

"Rough weekend" for Russell amid illness

A croaky George Russell on finishing second: "Firstly congrats to Carlos and Williams, a great result for them. For us I'm really happy to be back on the podium, it's been a rough weekend for me personally.

"But the car was great. Kimi P4 as well, so happy with that. I was pretty glad when I saw the chequered flag to be honest, although i felt much better compared to Friday and Saturday. For us, trying to beat Ferrari in the constructors, it was a pretty good result."

Sainz: Life brings bad moments, then a nice one

Sainz on finishing third: "Honestly I cannot describe how happy I am and how good this feels. We've been fighting hard all year. When we have the speed, we had it all year, and when it comes together we can do amazing things together. We beat a lot of cars we didn't expect to beat.

"I'm extremely proud of everyone at Williams. We've proven ourselves with a massive step compared to last year. With me, we've had a lot of bad luck, incidents, but i understand it had to happen like this. Life brings you bad moments to bring you a very nice one. It's a life lesson to keep believing in the team around you, the procedures, because sooner or later it pays off."

Hamilton finished eighth, but it looked a bit like he was supposed to give the place back to Leclerc - then crossed the finish line sooner than expected.

I'm sure Leclerc won't lose too much sleep over missing out on eighth place.

Verstappen charges into his mechanics to celebrate a Max-special victory. Back-to-back displays of dominance from the four-time champion.

"Vamos! Vamos! Best podium of my career guys, you cannot imagine how this tastes. Thank you guys, let me say this my first smooooth operation in Williams," Sainz enthuses. He's delighted. Big result for Williams here.

Carlos Sainz gets a brilliant podium for Williams with third, as Antonelli's charge petered out. The Italian finishes fourth, as Liam Lawson delivers a brilliant defensive drive to get fifth.

Tsunoda and Norris just couldn't find a way past. They finish sixth and seventh, while Hamilton, Leclerc, and Hadjar complete the points scorers.

Lap 51

Verstappen starts the final lap and throws in a fastest lap. Tsunoda goes defensive into Turn 1, which presents half an opportunity to Norris. But he can't find a way through - Tsunoda still keeps DRS from Lawson here.

Lap 50

Tsunoda has kept one fingernail in DRS range of Lawson, but there's still no way through. They have maybe two more chances to make something happen.

Lap 48

Lawson continues to pull Tsunoda along, which limits what Norris and Hamilton can do behind them. 

Tsunoda and Norris will try again, but Lawson gets his lines right into Turn 1 again.

Lap 47

Verstappen is 14.3s clear of Russell. Sainz is 1.8s clear of Antonelli.

Lap 46

Lawson is driving excellently on older tyres and he's refusing to concede. He's only got to do this for another five laps. 

Line astern, however. Tsunoda just stays in the frame with DRS.

Lap 45

Tsunoda takes a look, but Lawson defends into Turn 1. Norris takes a look at the Red Bull into Turn 3, but there's no way through there.

The two need Lawson to make a mistake out of Turn 15/16, but the Kiwi's not giving it to them. 

Lap 44

Verstappen's 12.3s lead over Russell looks good, while Sainz has extended the gap to Antonelli to 1.7s.

The Lawson train is about to get Hamilton onto the back of it. Tsunoda might be a touch closer to Lawson this time...

Lap 43

Tsunoda can't make it work into Turn 1, while Hamilton and Leclerc swap places.

Lawson will try to defend from Tsunoda and Norris here, as he's running short on pace now - but he's continuing to get good exits from Turn 16. 

Lap 42

"Russell on fresher rubber - it will be difficult," Sainz is told. "Copy, leave it to me please," comes the driver's response. His aim is to keep Antonelli outside of that one-second zone.

"Reports of light rain at Turn 16," Albon is told. Hoo boy.

Tsunoda's starting to catch Lawson now, after losing time out of the top. He's on mediums, so he should have a tyre delta to use here. 

Lap 41

Leclerc won't have DRS off Tsunoda on this lap, so it's a big opportunity for Norris - and he gets the move done before Turn 1. Seventh is his, and Tsunoda is next.

Antonelli is 1.3s behind Sainz - so he's got the chance of a podium here. Russell looks like he's locked in for second - perfect pitstop for the Briton, and at a key moment.

Lap 40

Norris can't quite get the pass on Leclerc, as the Ferrari soaks up DRS from Tsunoda.

Verstappen is going to pit at the end of this lap, and indeed claims the medium tyre.

Lap 39

Lawson gets past Tsunoda, and gets up to fifth. He's dashed off into a 1.8s advantage over his Red Bull replacement.

Norris is right on Leclerc's tail now.

Russell pits from second, and looks like he'll stay ahead of Sainz.

Lap 38

McLaren might need to have a little assessment with the stops here; Norris came in, but the front right needed another peck from the wheelgun.

Tsunoda now stops, and he'll come out ahead of Lawson and Leclerc - but can he hold?

Lap 37

Norris is getting ready for a stop here. Hard tyres will go on - but it's a slow stop! Lawson and Leclerc will go through, but Norris has much fresher boots.

Lap 36

Albon passes Hulkenberg for 13th. Norris is told he can think about the undercut if he can close in on Tsunoda. 

The Japanese driver is sitting third, and hoping he can preserve the position for a first podium with Red Bull.

Hamilton pits from sixth, and comes out ninth as there's a big gap to Hadjar behind.

Lap 35

Bortoleto passed Ocon on the previous lap, and has been let through by Hulkenberg to chase after Stroll. Albon also passes Ocon for 14th.

Norris had been within 1.7s of Tsunoda, but has now dropped to 2s behind the Red Bull. 

Lap 34

A replay of Hamilton, who scrapes the Tecpro at Turn 15. Leclerc remains out of DRS range of Lawson, who is keeping a firm vigil on eighth.

Lap 33

Ocon and Bortoleto have caught the Stroll train, as Hulkenberg is still stuck behind the Aston Martin. 

Leclerc remains in Lawson's wake, but he's fallen out of DRS range for the time being.

Lap 32

Verstappen is 13.6s clear of Russell, who is 7s clear of Tsunoda.

There's a branch on the track, but it seems like it's off-line.

Lap 31

Leclerc continues to sit in Lawson's DRS range, but without a clear pace advantage it's not hugely effective at the moment. This is good for the yet-to-stop Norris, who is trying to keep life in the mediums.

Lap 30

Hadjar comes out ahead of the Stroll/Hulkenberg battle and remains in the top 10.

"I think just keep extending," Russell says as he's pleased with his hard tyres out there. 

Lap 29

Hadjar is keeping Antonelli at bay for seventh, although the Racing Bulls driver is yet to stop. 

"We should pit before he overtakes me," Hadjar says; engineer Pierre Hamelin says that "we are looking after you". 

He indeed stops at the end of the lap, freeing up Antonelli.

Lap 28

Verstappen is continuing to do his thing in the lead. The top five of Verstappen, Russell, Tsunoda, Norris, and Hamilton are yet to stop.

Leclerc is still stuck behind Lawson.

Lap 27

Sainz stops at the end of the lap, which frees up Russell. He's got free air ahead of Hadjar, so that works out reasonably well. 

Lap 26

"This is brilliant pace mate, keep chipping away," Verstappen is assured. 8.8s at the front now, as Sainz is slowly falling into Russell's clutches.

"I wouldn't let Russell get within undercut," Sainz says. He's trying to tee up a stop soon, as Bortoleto pits.

Lap 25

We're at half distance. Antonelli's got a run on Bortoleto, and gets past at the start of lap 26. 

Lap 24

Verstappen's lead is up to 7.5s over Sainz, with Russell about 3.5s behind Sainz. Norris is trying to extend his stint, so he's not eating into Tsunoda's advantage at the moment.

Lap 23

Albon, encumbered with a 10-second penalty, passes Alonso - who has pitted and has since served his own five-second deduction.

Lap 22

Antonelli dives past Lawson on the run to Turn 1 and gets the position! Lawson tries to reclaim the place into Turn 3, but he's just not able to find away past the Italian - who keeps his Mercedes in the middle of the road.

Lap 21

Lawson holds into Turn 3, despite not having the temperature in his tyres! A squirm for the Kiwi as he leaves the pits, but crucially he holds the position for now.

Norris is going long on the mediums, so don't expect him to stop any time soon.

Verstappen is 6.1s ahead of Sainz at the front.

Lap 20

Russell is in Lawson's DRS range now, although the VCARB seems to be getting good exits out of the Turn 15/16 complex. He does, however, pit - Russell moves up to third.

Where does he shake out versus Antonelli? Lawson comes out ahead...