Max Verstappen converted his sixth pole position of 2025 so far to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, and cut his deficit to Oscar Piastri in the F1 drivers’ standings to 69 points.
The Red Bull racer has taken more pole positions than any driver during the 2025 F1 season so far with six through the first 17 of this term’s 24 rounds. Verstappen also now boasts four wins this year, having led every lap of the Azerbaijan GP to win by 14.609 seconds in Baku.
Verstappen found his Azerbaijan GP win “unusual”, as he had not scored a “straightforward” win like he did in Baku for a while. The 27-year-old was never threatened in the lead and his decision to start on the hard compound tyres even saw him earn his sixth career grand slam.
After going eight races without a win, the Dutchman is claiming command. Verstappen went against Red Bull’s set-up advice at Monza and took downforce off his rear wing. Even though it created risks, Verstappen convinced Red Bull to let him start on hard tyres in Baku, as well.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris should be ‘wary’ if Max Verstappen believes he can win the 2025 F1 title
Verstappen sealing back-to-back Grand Prix wins for the first time since July 2024 has also possibly put him back in play for the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship. He trails McLaren pilots Piastri and Lando Norris by 69 and 44 points, after their respective plights in Baku last week.
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| DRIVER | POINTS | GRAND PRIX WINS | GRAND PRIX POLES | GRAND PRIX PODIUMS |
| Oscar Piastri | 324 | 7 | 5 | 14 |
| Lando Norris | 299 | 5 | 4 | 13 |
| Max Verstappen | 255 | 4 | 6 | 8 |
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff thinks Verstappen will need “everything” to work out in his favour for the Red Bull driver to deny Piastri or Norris the title. But Wolff feels Piastri and Norris should “especially” pay attention to Verstappen if he believes he can still win the title.
“You always have to stay grounded and humble,” Wolff said, via quotes by Motorsport.com. “He’s had a good run, the car is good and with Max Verstappen, you always have to be wary of what he can achieve – especially if he realises he’s back in the picture.
“What’s the gap? 69 points? That’s a long way to go. Then everything has to go his way. But one DNF for the championship leader and Max takes 25 points, things can change quickly.”
What has Max Verstappen said about winning the 2025 F1 drivers’ title?
Despite winning Sunday’s Azerbaijan GP, Verstappen admitted in Baku that he is not thinking about winning the 2025 F1 drivers’ title given the Red Bull star still trails McLaren’s Piastri by 69 points. The 27-year-old is focusing on each race on its own, instead of the bigger picture.
“I don’t rely on hope,” Verstappen said, via Autosport. “But it’s seven rounds left [and] 69 points is a lot. So, I personally don’t think about it. I just go race by race, what I have been doing basically the whole season. Just trying to do the best we can, try to score the most points that we can. And then after Abu Dhabi, we’ll know.”
Helmut Marko feels Verstappen can “start dreaming” about the 2025 F1 title only if Red Bull fight McLaren at the Singapore Grand Prix next time out. While the RB21 was faster than the MCL39 in Italy and Azerbaijan, the circuit and conditions in Singapore will be vastly different.