Azerbaijan: World champion Max Verstappen led a Red Bull 1-2 in Sunday’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a potentially key moment of the title race after pole-sitter Charles Leclerc and Ferrari endured another dose of misery with a double retirement.
Sergio Perez had jumped Leclerc to the first turn before Verstappen took control as the Ferraris of Carlos Sainz and then Leclerc retired with engine problems.
George Russell took third ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton who needed a helping elbow to climb out of his cockpit such was the state of his back after an afternoon being jolted around his bouncing car.
Verstappen’s fifth win of the season, and the 25th of his career, tightened his grip on the drivers’ standings with Perez moving into second, 21 points behind, while the luckless Leclerc slipped to 34 points adrift.
Leclerc, for the fourth time, was unable to convert pole into a win, and he had his head in his hands in frustration.
The eighth round of the season saw track temperature pushing 50 degrees in the Land of Fire. Cars on the grid were treated to disco-style blasts of dry ice in the pre-race build up.
