MONDAY MORNING DEBRIEF: Why Sainz wasn’t able to hold off Russell for P2 in Baku
Carlos Sainz netted Williams’ first podium since 2021 at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix with P3. But what stopped him holding off Mercedes’ George Russell for P2?


Max Verstappen’s start-to-finish domination of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix rendered everyone else bit players – and the lack of incident once Oscar Piastri had brought out the Safety Car by crashing on the opening lap meant there was nothing which threatened to spoil Verstappen’s perfect day.
The main point of interest became whether Carlos Sainz could hold onto the second place he’d put himself in by brilliantly qualifying the Williams in that position, but with several faster cars behind him.

Unlock exclusive F1 content and more with F1 Unlocked. Totally free.
Membership gets you closer with:
Curated insider content
Live like an F1 insider with exclusive access and VIP experiences
Member benefits, rewards and offers
Next Up
Related Articles
Watch a dramatic race start in Baku as Piastri crashes
TremayneCan Hamilton shake off his Baku bad luck?
All the key moments from the Azerbaijan GP
Verstappen hails 'fantastic' Azerbaijan win after dominant performance
Verstappen wins Azerbaijan GP over Russell and Sainz
What the teams said – Race day in Azerbaijan