F1 Race Report: Perez becomes first two-time winner in Azerbaijan

Red Bull’s Sergio Perez has become the first driver to secure two F1 victories in Azerbaijan as the Mexican finished comfortably ahead of his teammate Max Verstappen.

How the race unfolded…

It was a great getaway from the pole sitter, Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc who managed to go into the first couple of corners unchallenged by the two Red Bulls behind. Slightly further back, Verstappen was forced to defend his second-place grid start from Perez who immediately put the defending champion under pressure.

Despite the taste of a battle between teammates, it was light work for the Dutchman as he maintained his track position and followed Leclerc through the opening corners.

After a handful of laps, Leclerc had to the race lead to the defending world champion as the Dutchman flew passed Ferrari’s Monegasque down the main straight on the fourth lap – aided by DRS. Perez attempted a similar move, to bolster himself up to second, but the Mexican had to hold off for one more lap before the move was done.

As such, Red Bull occupied a provisional 1-2 by lap five as Leclerc fell to third, a result they would later finish with.

Before the race had even reached double figures in the lap count, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly and Alfa Romeo’s Valtteri Bottas pitted on laps six and seven respectively. This was quickly followed by Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) on lap nine and Verstappen on lap 11.

On the same lap where Verstappen pitted, Alpha Tauri’s Nyck De Vries clattered the inside barrier at turn five which significantly damaged the suspension on the Dutch driver’s AT04. The Alpha Tauri driver was quickly forced to retire out on track, on the run-off area around turn six which resulted in a safety car intervention.

As the safety car peeled out of the pit lane, a number of drivers including both Perez and Leclerc pitted and returned to the circuit ahead of those who had previously pitted like Verstappen. When the race got back to green-flag conditions, at the end of lap 13, Perez led Leclerc and Verstappen respectively within the top three.

By lap 24, the race went through a very calm spell where everyone raced in a well-behaved manner. However, Haas’ Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon were yet to pit as the two drivers started the race from the pit lane – on the hard tyres – after suspension changes were made under parc ferme.

Alfa Romeo’s Guanyu Zhou was ordered to return to the pit lane, on lap 37, as the Chinese driver was told they had a problem with the car. Zhou quickly returned to the pits and wheeled back into his garage.

To add a late bit of spice to a very calm session, on lap 45, McLaren’s Lando Norris passed Hulkenberg to move up to 10th after the German became a mobile wall which separated the front runners from the back markers.

The Haas driver went in too deep into turn five which compromised his exit on the following corner which allowed Norris to go wheel-to-wheel with Hulkenberg and get by as they broke into turn seven.

In a hail-mary attempt to hold out as long as possible for a safety car, or a potential red flag, Hulkenberg finally pitted on lap 49 to get rid of his worn hards to a new set of tyres.

This was soon followed by Ocon who also pitted a lap later, just before Perez took the chequered flag, but the Frenchman was met by a gathering of FIA personnel who were setting up the Parc Ferme barriers and podium ceremony.

Fortunately, the Alpine driver managed to avoid the gathering.

Red Bull’s 1-2 finish in Azerbaijan has provided the Milton Keynes outfit with their third one-two in four races, knocking them 93 points (180pts) clear of second-placed Aston Martin who have 87 points to their name. In the drivers standings, Perez (87pts) has now cut down the gap to six points as, defending world champion, Verstappen sits at the top of the table with 93pts.

Podium: 

1. Sergio Perez, Red Bull Racing
2. Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing
3. Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

That’s all for our article: F1 Race Report: Perez becomes first two-time winner in Azerbaijan!

What were your thoughts on the Azerbaijan Grand Prix? Let us know in the comments!

Read more Formula 1 here:

• FIA to reconsider protocols after close encounter with Ocon in Azerbaijan GP
• LIVE: Azerbaijan Grand Prix
• Hulkenberg set to start Azerbaijan GP from pit lane
• Azerbaijan GP: Perez on top as Verstappen tangles with Russell
• Azerbaijan GP: Leclerc secures inaugural Sprint Shootout pole despite late crash
• Azerbaijan GP: Verstappen on top in dramatic sole practice session

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Kamron Kent

Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.

I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.

Kamron Kent

Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.