- Pérez overtakes Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc for victory in Baku
- Leclerc will start Sunday’s race from pole alongside Verstappen
Sergio Pérez won the sprint race at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix for Red Bull with a strong drive on the streets of Baku. He beat the Ferrari of Charles Leclerc into second with the world champion, Max Verstappen, in third after having taken damage early in the race after contact with Mercedes’ George Russell, who was fourth. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was fifth with Lewis Hamilton in seventh.
In an ominous indicator for Sunday’s grand prix when the drag reduction system was enabled, Leclerc who had started from pole could do nothing to hold off Pérez as he blasted down the straight into the lead. Leclerc will start from pole with Verstappen alongside him and with a healthy car the Dutchman will be expectant of being able to similarly claim the lead.