The Formula 1 race weekend in Baku, Azerbaijan, always promises surprises and drama, but the 2025 qualifying session surpassed all expectations, becoming one of the most chaotic and memorable sessions in F1 history. With six red flags, a series of unexpected incidents, and rapidly changing fortunes, drivers and teams battled extreme weather conditions and immense pressure, leading to shocking results, especially for powerhouse teams like McLaren and Ferrari.

The Fateful Winds of Baku

From the moment they woke up, everyone in Baku, from the engineering teams to the drivers, noticed a significant change in the weather: strong winds. The fierce, gusty winds, blowing from various directions, turned the already challenging Baku street circuit into a true ordeal. Lance Stroll, one of the veteran drivers, described it as “brutal,” and indeed, even walking outside became difficult. This 180-degree shift in conditions from Friday to Saturday created an extremely unpredictable racing environment.

This wind wasn’t just a minor factor; it changed direction with every corner and every lap, making car control incredibly complex. The Baku circuit is notorious for its narrow walls with no room for error, and under such windy conditions, even the slightest mistake could lead to a serious crash. This was proven by the six red flags that were triggered, a record for an F1 qualifying session.

Disaster for the Giants: McLaren and Ferrari Miss Their Chance

The qualifying session lasted nearly two hours, a testament to the level of disruption and difficulty the teams faced. One of the most shocking stories was McLaren’s performance. Despite being in contention for the constructors’ championship, McLaren didn’t expect Baku to be their strongest track. Their car excels in medium-speed corners but struggles with the high-speed straight-line braking that defines Baku. However, the outcome was far worse than anticipated, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris finishing ninth and seventh, respectively—McLaren’s worst qualifying performance of the season.

Oscar Piastri, the world championship leader, had an unfortunate incident at Turn 3 when a sudden gust of wind caused him to lose control and hit the wall. It was reportedly the first time in his racing career that Piastri had crashed with enough force to cause significant damage to his car. He candidly admitted it was his mistake but couldn’t deny that the wind played a crucial role in that moment. He shared that while the wind was a common factor for all drivers, encountering an unfavorable gust at a critical moment cost him dearly.

As for Lando Norris, he was arguably one of the unluckiest drivers in qualifying. Several of his laps were ruined by external incidents, such as being impeded by George Russell or ill-timed red flags. This forced Norris to put all his effort into his final lap, but unfortunately, he couldn’t piece together a perfect run, even lightly tapping the wall at Turn 15. Despite his own error, Norris, like Piastri, couldn’t escape the influence of the harsh conditions. The fact that McLaren’s two championship-contending drivers were only two places apart on the starting grid was an incredible surprise.

Ferrari did not escape a similar fate and was perhaps even more disappointing. Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc had shown strong form in practice sessions, with Hamilton looking particularly quick. Both drivers were aiming for pole position, but everything went inexplicably wrong. The problem lay in their tire strategy and warm-up. Hamilton wanted to use medium tires but was given softs, while Leclerc, who had the mediums, felt they were not the right choice. It seemed decisions made on Friday had a massive impact on their qualifying results on Saturday. Both drivers expressed deep frustration, believing their car had much more potential that they were unable to unlock. Leclerc’s major crash at Turn 15 ended any hope Ferrari had of competing for the top spot.

Surprising Stars: Williams and Racing Bulls Shine

While the top teams struggled, the qualifying session saw unexpected names rise to the occasion. Racing Bulls, while showing decent speed this season, were not considered front-runners, but their presence in the fight for pole was a surprise.

The most remarkable story, however, belonged to the Williams team and Carlos Sainz Jr. In recent weeks, Williams had been grappling with tire preparation issues, a problem that had plagued them for some time. They conducted numerous experiments at Monza and continued them in Baku on Friday to find a solution. The entire team spent the last 10 days at the factory analyzing scenarios and figuring out what to do. Their hard work paid off.

On this day, Williams’ success was all about being on the right tire at the right time and in the right track position. They prioritized a strategy of new mediums, old mediums, and then softs, and this was executed perfectly. Carlos Sainz Jr. delivered an outstanding performance, especially in his initial Q3 runs. He was one of only three drivers to set a time before the red flag for Leclerc’s crash came out.

On his second run, Sainz continued to show impressive pace. He had an excellent first sector, significantly faster than Max Verstappen, and his final sector was also superior. The question was, why didn’t he take pole? It came down to a single moment in the middle sector where he ran wide on the exit of Turn 6 and had a small slide. That moment cost him all his momentum and over half a second, completely ruining his potential pole lap. Without that small mistake, Sainz could very well have secured pole position.

Max Verstappen: Master of the Chaos

When the door opened, Max Verstappen, as usual, did not miss his chance. He timed his on-track appearance perfectly and brought his tires into their optimal operating window. This was a “classic Verstappen pole position,” as he rose above all rivals in extremely difficult conditions.

Verstappen’s ability to judge the limits of grip, especially in the tricky braking zones where many other drivers made mistakes, is phenomenal. He knows exactly what to do, masterfully balancing risk and reward to achieve the best result. While the final gap might look larger than reality, Verstappen’s ability to capitalize on Sainz’s mistake and put together a perfect lap across every sector once again confirmed his world-class talent.

Conclusion and Predictions for the Main Race

The 2025 Baku qualifying session delivered unprecedented chaos, with strong winds, six red flags, and constant surprises. Top teams like McLaren and Ferrari faced immense challenges, while underdogs like Williams and Racing Bulls had their moment to shine. Max Verstappen once again proved his champion’s mettle by taking pole under the most severe conditions.

With a similar weather forecast for the main race, including strong winds and a chance of rain, the Grand Prix promises to be even more dramatic and unpredictable. McLaren, with its constructors’ championship ambitions, will have to fight hard to recover from unfavorable starting positions. Verstappen is in a prime position for a back-to-back win, but in a race as volatile as Baku, nothing is certain. Fans can look forward to a Sunday filled with thrilling action, breathtaking overtakes, and potentially more shocking results.