• BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - SEPTEMBER 21: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with teammates in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on September 21, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images)
    BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - SEPTEMBER 21: Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing celebrates with teammates in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan at Baku City Circuit on September 21, 2025 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Clive Rose / Getty Images)
  • Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning in Baku. Getty Images
    Race winner Max Verstappen celebrates on the podium after winning in Baku. Getty Images
  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. AFP
    Red Bull's Max Verstappen crosses the finish line to win the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. AFP
  • Williams driver Carlos Sainz celebrates with his team after finishing third. AP
    Williams driver Carlos Sainz celebrates with his team after finishing third. AP
  • McLaren's Oscar Piastri and climbs out of his damaged car after crashing out on Lap 1. Getty Images
    McLaren's Oscar Piastri and climbs out of his damaged car after crashing out on Lap 1. Getty Images
  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished 14 seconds ahead of second-placed George Russell in Baku. AP
    Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished 14 seconds ahead of second-placed George Russell in Baku. AP
  • Title-race leader Oscar Piastri looks on after crashing out on Lap 1 in Baku. Getty Images
    Title-race leader Oscar Piastri looks on after crashing out on Lap 1 in Baku. Getty Images
  • Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. AFP
    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc ahead of teammate Lewis Hamilton. AFP
  • Ferrari's Charles Leclerc leads Lando Norris of McLaren at Baku City Circuit. Getty Images
    Ferrari's Charles Leclerc leads Lando Norris of McLaren at Baku City Circuit. Getty Images
  • Marshals clear away the car of Oscar Piastri following his crash as his McLaren teammate Lando Norris passes by. Getty Images
    Marshals clear away the car of Oscar Piastri following his crash as his McLaren teammate Lando Norris passes by. Getty Images
  • Red Bull's Max Verstappen leads the field going into Turn 1 at the start during the race. Getty Images
    Red Bull's Max Verstappen leads the field going into Turn 1 at the start during the race. Getty Images

Azerbaijan GP: Max Verstappen eases to win as title leader Oscar Piastri crashes out on first lap


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Max Verstappen coasted to a second successive grand prix win after claiming victory in Azerbaijan on Sunday which saw title-race leader Oscar Piastri crash out on the opening lap.

The reigning champion, who started from pole at the Baku City Circuit, dominated the race with a masterclass performance, finishing 14 seconds ahead of Mercedes driver George Russell while Carlos Sainz secured his first podium for Williams in third.

Verstappen made it back-to-back wins for the first time since the Spanish Grand Prix of June 2024 after his victory in Italy last time out.

"This weekend has ben incredible for us, last weekend was already great, but for us to win here again is just fantastic," said the Dutchman.

"In the race the car was working really well on both of the compounds, we had clean air all the time and you could then look after your tyres.

"It was pretty straightforward, it's not easy around here and it's very windy today so the car is always moving around a lot. I'm very happy with this performance.

"The last two race weekends have been amazing for us. Singapore is a completely different challenge again with the higher downforce, so we will see what we can do there."

Mercedes' driver Russell admitted he was happy to see the end of the race after struggling with illness all weekend.

"It's been a bit of a rough weekend for me personally but the car was great, so happy with that," said the Briton.

"I was pretty glad when I saw the chequered flag. Fortunately, I felt much better than I did on Friday and Saturday. Looking forward to a bit of rest now and happy with the results, and for us as a team, trying to beat Ferrari in the constructors' [championship], it was a good step towards that."

Sainz, meanwhile, was ecstatic after sealing Williams' first podium finish of the season. "I honestly can't describe how happy I am and how good this feels. It's even better than my first ever podium that I had," said the Spaniard, who was a four-times race winner with Ferrari.

"We've been fighting hard all year and finally today we just proved that we have the speed and we've had it all year.

"Everything comes together and we can do some amazing things together and today we nailed the race, not one mistake, and we managed to beat a lot of cars that yesterday I wasn't expecting to beat."

It was a disastrous day for McLaren after Piastri's early exit was followed by a lowly seventh-place for Lando Norris who at least cut the Australian's lead down by six points to 25.

McLaren had hoped to secure their 10th Formula One constructors' title, and second in a row, on Sunday with a record seven races still to go.

Verstappen's lights-to-flag victory means the Dutchman has closed to within 69 points of Piastri, who started ninth on the grid after also crashing his McLaren into the barriers during qualifying.

Piastri slipped to the back of the pack after initially moving before the lights went out - for which he was penalised by the stewards - before anti-stall kicked in on his car. The 24-year-old then locked up badly on the way into Turn 5, careering nose-first into the wall.

After climbing into the top six, a messy pitstop lost Norris a couple of places which could prove costly in the race for the title in what was a weekend to forget for McLaren.

Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli was fourth for Mercedes,redeeming himself after a poor home race weekend at Monza, with New Zealander Liam Lawson enjoying a career-high fifth for Racing Bulls.

Yuki Tsunoda was sixth for Red Bull with Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc following Norris home in eighth and ninth.

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- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law 

Getting there

The flights

Emirates and Etihad fly to Johannesburg or Cape Town daily. Flights cost from about Dh3,325, with a flying time of 8hours and 15 minutes. From there, fly South African Airlines or Air Namibia to Namibia’s Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport, for about Dh850. Flying time is 2 hours.

The stay

Wilderness Little Kulala offers stays from £460 (Dh2,135) per person, per night. It is one of seven Wilderness Safari lodges in Namibia; www.wilderness-safaris.com.

Skeleton Coast Safaris’ four-day adventure involves joining a very small group in a private plane, flying to some of the remotest areas in the world, with each night spent at a different camp. It costs from US$8,335.30 (Dh30,611); www.skeletoncoastsafaris.com

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The specs: 2018 Mazda CX-5

Price, base / as tested: Dh89,000 / Dh130,000
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Power: 188hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 251Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
​​​​​​​Fuel consumption, combined: 7.1L / 100km

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

Updated: September 21, 2025, 1:30 PM