2025 F1 Azerbaijan GP: What is the starting grid for the race?

The 2025 Azerbaijan GP qualifying saw some chaotic sessions filled with six red flags as multiple drivers ended up on the barriers to end their day. Amid this, Max Verstappen of Red Bull pulled off a stunning lap to qualify on pole and start Sunday's race with an advantage.

Verstappen's pole comes after his stellar Italian GP performances, where he pulled off the pole and race win at Monza in the first week of September. Coming to Baku, he continued his magnificent run and claimed his first-ever pole at the Baku City Circuit.

The Red Bull star pulled off 1:41.117 on the timesheet to secure P1 in the qualifying, and he was nearly five-tenths faster than Carlos Sainz, the driver in P2. Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls managed a surprising P3, as Kimi Antonelli qualified in P4.

Antonelli's Mercedes teammate, George Russell, was in P5, ahead of Red Bull's Yuki Tsunoda. McLaren's Lando Norris, who brushed off the wall in his final qualifying attempt, managed P7 and was ahead of Isack Hadjar.

Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc finished Q3 in P9 and P10, as none of the drivers managed to set a time on the sheet since both of them locked up, lost control, and crashed into the barrier identically. Lewis Hamilton will start from P12.

Here's the grid line-up for Sunday's Azerbaijan GP

#1 Max Verstappen - Red Bull

#2 Carlos Sainz - Williams

#3 Liam Lawson - Racing Bulls

#4 Kimi Antonelli - Mercedes

#5 George Russell - Mercedes

#6 Yuki Tsunoda - Racing Bulls

#7 Lando Norris - McLaren

#8 Isack Hadjar - Racing Bulls

#9 Oscar Piastri - McLaren

#10 Charles Leclerc - Ferrari

#11 Fernando Alonso - Aston Martin

#12 Lewis Hamilton - Ferrari

#13 Gabriel Bortoleto - Kick Sauber

#14 Lance Stroll - Aston Martin

#15 Oliver Bearman - Haas

#16 Franco Colapinto - Alpine

#17 Nico Hulkenberg - Kick Sauber

#18 Esteban Ocon - Haas

#19 Pierre Gasly - Alpine

#20 Alex Albon - Williams

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Azerbaijan GP pole sitter shared his thoughts after brilliant qualifying result

Max Verstappen let his feelings known after he pulled off a stellar final flying lap to set himself on pole on Saturday for the Azerbaijan GP. Speaking about his performance, here's what the Red Bull driver told Sky Sports F1:

Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing at the Azerbaijan GP - Source: Getty

"A long Qualifying to be honest with so many red flags. Hard to get your tyres in condition with so many stoppages. The last lap you just have to send it, I wasn't even on the best tyres are with the red flags, you run out of tyres. We definitely were in there for pole, but I'm just happy as since Monza we are doing a better job."

Max Verstappen is in P3 in the Driver's Standings with 230 points after 16 races and three sprints. He trails the McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris by 94 and 63 points, respectively.