Baku never disappoints. Unless, of course, you’re a McLaren fan. Then it disappoints heavily, repeatedly, and with a sprinkling of bad luck just for flavour.
McLaren: From Hopefuls to Headaches
Let’s start with McLaren, because why not begin with pain?
Qualifying was a full-blown demolition derby. Six red flags (yes, six), and guess who decided to be the grand finale? Oscar Piastri. The championship leader went full “oopsie” into the wall in Q3 and took himself out of contention. Lando Norris, meanwhile, managed P7 — which is the F1 equivalent of saying “at least I showed up.”
Race day? Oscar treated us to a blooper reel: jumped the start, hit anti-stall, dropped like a stone, then locked up at Turn 5 and retired on Lap 1. He admitted afterwards it wasn’t his “finest moment.” Correct, Oscar — it was more like a highlight reel for what not to do.
And then there’s Lando. With Oscar out, he had a golden chance to close the championship gap. The kind of golden chance that doesn’t come around often. And what did he do with it? P7. Six points. Barely a nibble at Piastri’s lead. Honestly, if missed opportunities were worth points, Lando would be leading the championship by now.
Max Verstappen: The Resurgence
While McLaren was busy making their Netflix highlight reels, Max Verstappen remembered he’s Max Verstappen.
Pole position? Easy. Race win? Easier. Fastest lap? Why not. Leading every lap? Sure, let’s flex. Max basically went on a Sunday cruise through Baku while everyone else tried to remember how braking zones work.
After a string of frustrating weekends, this was Max’s “I’m back, don’t forget me” moment. Spoiler: no one forgot.
George Russell & Carlos Sainz: Heroes in Their Own Ways
George Russell deserves a nod. The man was sick all weekend but still dragged his Mercedes to P2. Imagine calling in sick to work, but then winning Employee of the Month anyway. That’s Russell.
And then Carlos Sainz. Oh, Carlos. The unicorn. Yes, really. This man took his Williams to P3, holding off faster cars like he had magic dust in the diffuser. It was Williams’ first proper podium in years, and honestly, it felt like watching a fairy tale. Driver of the Day, unicorn status confirmed. Somewhere in Grove, a rainbow probably appeared.
And the best part? Somewhere out there, a little girl got to see her unicorn request turned into a piece of F1 history. Carlos, with his rainbow-powered helmet, gave us one of the most unexpectedly wholesome storylines of the year.
Ferrari: Luck? Never Heard of It
Ferrari. Ah yes, the team that keeps asking the universe for good fortune and getting slapped instead.
Leclerc binned it in qualifying. Hamilton couldn’t find pace. And the race? Mediocre points, nothing to brag about. For a team with this much history, it’s starting to feel like their luck is stuck in permanent vacation mode.
6Red Flags and a Cat
Six. Red. Flags.
Baku qualifying turned into a circus. Spins, crashes, misjudged corners — it was less Formula 1 and more bumper cars with carbon fibre price tags. Honestly, race control probably had a finger cramp from pressing the red flag button.
But let’s be honest — the true winner of the weekend wasn’t Max, or Sainz, or even George’s immune system. It was the cat.
Yes, a stray cat at the circuit became an overnight sensation. Photos went viral, fans fell in love, and for a moment the chaos of Baku felt oddly wholesome. Forget DRS trains and podium fights — the cat stole the spotlight.
Final Thoughts
So, what did we learn in Baku?
McLaren know how to waste an opportunity with style.
Max Verstappen still has that killer instinct.
George Russell can podium while half-dead.
Carlos Sainz is officially a unicorn.
Ferrari are cursed.
And cats will always win the internet.
Roll on the next race — because if Baku taught us anything, it’s that chaos is just part of the show.
