How three drivers 'won' the Azerbaijan GP
Formula 1's return to Baku after a year away had thrown up an eventful qualifying marred by four red flags, but the race appeared to be running to a familiar Red Bull vs Mercedes template entering the closing stages. That is, until a dramatic conclusion where victory was snatched away from two drivers, before landing in the lap of Sergio Perez
Motorsport.com's Prime content
The best content from Motorsport.com Prime, our subscription service. Subscribe here to get access to all the features.
Considering all that was the come, the opening lap of the 2021 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was pretty much pure serenity. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc led comfortably away from pole, while Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen slotted in behind, ready to unleash their expected race pace advantage over their red rival.
Behind the top three by the end of lap one of 51 was eventual race winner Sergio Perez, who'd passed Carlos Sainz and Pierre Gasly to move up from sixth on the grid. The Ferrari was dispatched on the exit of the first corner, when Sainz lost momentum challenging Gasly on the outside line, and Perez then outdragged the AlphaTauri on the outside run down the back straight in the first sector.
Share Or Save This Story
Explained: How the Haas-Toyota F1 alliance is actually going to work
Ranking the real 2025 F1 driver line-up pecking order
The Bearman traits that have really impressed Haas
Hulkenberg: Haas is going to be a serious competitor in the years to come
How Hulkenberg transformed his F1 career with Haas
The critical element Haas needed for Hulkenberg to crack an old F1 weakness
What happened the last time Verstappen did community service
Norris 'proud’ of McLaren’s mini-DRS effect after Baku impact intrigue
De Vries critical of "domestic-specific" Super Formula penalty
The detail focus that will make Audi’s Red Bull hire a hit team boss
Verstappen bemused by criticism of Red Bull: "People come up with bizarre things"
Super Formula Fuji: Tsuboi snatches points lead with back-to-back wins
The detail focus that will make Audi’s Red Bull hire a hit team boss
The Russell traits that will ease his adaption to becoming Mercedes team leader
The multi-faceted improvements that have allowed McLaren to challenge Red Bull
The one thing McLaren must leave behind for the title run-in
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
