The Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku has once again cemented its reputation as one of the most unpredictable and thrilling events on the calendar. This past Saturday’s qualifying session descended into what can only be described as beautiful chaos, entering the history books with a record-breaking six red flags, a flurry of dramatic incidents, horrifying crashes, and a stunning disqualification. Standing tall amidst the pandemonium was the reigning four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, who delivered a phenomenal performance to claim pole position for the main race, once again asserting his dominance as the best driver on the grid.

In an F1 Update for RacingNews365, commentators Nick Golding and Ian Parkes struggled to summarize the sheer madness of the session. “I can think of three words: I love Baku,” Parkes declared, perfectly capturing the sentiment. The city circuit consistently delivers drama, and this qualifying was no exception. The six red flags shattered the previous record, causing the session to last an astonishing 118 minutes—a full 45 minutes longer than the entire Italian Grand Prix.

A Deluge of Red Flags and a Shocking Penalty

The signs of a turbulent day were evident from the very beginning. Q1 was repeatedly interrupted by red flags for incidents involving Alex Albon, Nico Hülkenberg, and Franco Colapinto. The chaos continued in Q2, which saw Oliver Bearman crash out and, in a major upset, Lewis Hamilton eliminated. However, the climax of the mayhem occurred in Q3. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, a Baku specialist, had a heavy crash at Turn 15. Moments later, championship leader Oscar Piastri slammed his McLaren into the wall at Turn 3, triggering the sixth and final red flag of the day.

As if the on-track incidents weren’t enough, Alpine’s Esteban Ocon was disqualified from the session due to a technical infringement with his rear wing, which failed a deflection test. Although he had initially qualified in P8, the penalty relegated Ocon to the back of the grid, adding another layer of intrigue to an already dramatic starting lineup.

Verstappen: The Calm in the Eye of the Storm

Through it all, Max Verstappen showcased the poise and skill of a champion. “Max Verstappen kept his nose clean where the majority of other drivers around him were falling away like flies,” observed Ian Parkes. Even Lando Norris had a close call, clipping the wall but managing to escape serious damage. Verstappen capitalized on the new floor upgrade introduced on his Red Bull at Monza, a change that propelled him to pole and victory at the Italian Grand Prix. The unique demands of the Baku circuit, which requires a tricky setup balancing low downforce for the long main straight with high agility for the tight, twisting castle section, played perfectly into the strengths of the RB21. He ultimately secured pole by a commanding margin of over four-tenths of a second ahead of the second-place driver.

Unexpected Heroes on the Starting Grid

Beyond Verstappen’s masterclass, the qualifying session produced some truly remarkable and unexpected results. Carlos Sainz delivered a stunning performance for Williams, securing a front-row start in second place—a significant achievement following a challenging season. Equally impressive was Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls, who qualified in a career-best third position, marking a major milestone in his young F1 career.

“Quite a remarkable day for Helmet Marco,” Golding noted, pointing out that the top three drivers—Verstappen, Sainz, and Lawson—are all products of the Red Bull junior program. This trifecta is a powerful testament to the team’s strategic vision and its unparalleled ability to nurture world-class talent.

A Day to Forget for McLaren and Ferrari

In stark contrast, it was a disastrous day for F1 giants McLaren and Ferrari. Championship leader Oscar Piastri made a rare and costly error at Turn 3, hitting the wall directly instead of the softer Tecpro barrier. The heavy impact not only left him starting in ninth but also raised concerns about potential grid penalties if McLaren is forced to replace his power unit or gearbox.

Piastri’s teammate, Lando Norris, failed to capitalize on this golden opportunity. Despite having the pace to challenge for the top spots, Norris made mistakes at Turn 6 and Turn 15, scraping the wall and ultimately qualifying in seventh, just two places ahead of Piastri. Ian Parkes suggested Norris made a strategic error by being the first driver to leave the pits on a greasy, rain-dampened track, squandering a critical chance to gain an advantage.

For Ferrari, the day was a complete catastrophe. After a highly promising Friday where Lewis Hamilton topped a practice session, their hopes crumbled on Saturday. Hamilton was shockingly knocked out in Q2 and will start from 12th, while Charles Leclerc, who had been on a streak of four consecutive poles in Baku, crashed at the start of Q3, leaving him in 10th. A frustrated Hamilton later placed the blame squarely on “Ferrari’s doorstep and its execution of its tire strategy”, specifically citing the lack of available medium tires in Q2 as the reason for his early exit.

Has the Championship Door Reopened?

While Piastri currently holds a 94-point lead over Verstappen in the standings, his crash in Baku has ignited a debate about whether the door has been opened for Verstappen to re-enter the championship fight. McLaren Team Principal Andreas Stella firmly believes Verstappen is “absolutely certain… a factor in this championship”. However, Ian Parkes remains skeptical, arguing the points gap is simply too large to overcome without a series of catastrophic failures from Piastri.

Regardless, with two Mercedes, two McLarens, and two Ferraris all hungry for a podium finish, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix promises to be another explosive affair. The potential for light rain adds another element of unpredictability to the race. Can Verstappen convert his pole into a victory? Can Piastri and Norris recover from their qualifying disappointments? And can Ferrari redeem itself after a day of strategic blunders?

The Franco Colapinto Conundrum

Another compelling subplot from the session was the story of Franco Colapinto. The young driver suffered a significant crash at Turn 4 in Q1, bringing out one of the early red flags. The cruel irony is that this accident occurred just 18 hours after F1 advisor Flavio Briatore publicly named Colapinto and Paul Aron as the two contenders for a race seat next season. This was Colapinto’s second major crash of the season, and it happened at the exact same corner where he crashed a year prior.

Parkes emphasized that the crash “could not have come at a worse time” for Colapinto. With fierce competition and Briatore’s comments hinting that sponsorship money is a factor, Colapinto’s F1 future is now in serious jeopardy. “You can only imagine Flavio tearing a strip off him,” Parkes speculated, “…and basically turning around and saying, ‘This is your Grand Prix career on the line here, mate’”. The pressure is now immense for Colapinto to prove he deserves his place on the grid.

The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session delivered everything F1 fans crave: speed, drama, heartbreak, and moments that could define a championship. Max Verstappen once again proved his mettle, but the chaos that engulfed his rivals has set the stage for one of the most unpredictable and unmissable races of the season.