Five key insights from the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Hadjar showcases why Red Bull chose him as Verstappen’s future teammate

Isack Hadjar’s position at Red Bull was never uncertain while he was sidelined with a wrist injury, yet when the French racer was granted a contract extension just before his F1 comeback, it did raise some questions. What was the source of this newfound confidence?

Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing

Roll the highlights. Hadjar fulfilled exactly what Red Bull brought him on for; he qualified an impressive fourth, positioning himself well after Max Verstappen faced mechanical issues, and he played the team role effectively during the race.

After giving up a strong position early in the race to his teammate, Hadjar became a supportive wingman – even urging Verstappen to pick up the pace – a scenario not seen since Sergio Perez's early days at Red Bull.

Navigating two safety car restarts and forcing Oscar Piastri into a mistake allowed Hadjar to follow Verstappen onto the podium, showcasing a remarkable comeback and confirming his status as a Red Bull driver.

- Haydn Cobb

Williams promises much but delivers little with B-spec

Williams placed significant hope in its long-anticipated FW48 B-spec in Baku, featuring an entirely new, lighter chassis and a revamped floor. Prior to the event, the team tempered expectations, viewing the update as a stepping stone towards better results in 2027 rather than a game-changing overhaul.

The Azerbaijan weekend confirmed these sentiments; although it was refreshing for Williams to re-enter the midfield battle, enabling Carlos Sainz to progress to Q3. Yet, given the high-speed street circuit seemed to amplify the strengths of the Mercedes-powered team, falling short of scoring points on Saturday feels like a lost opportunity. One wonders if the high downforce configurations at Malaysia and Singapore will be as favorable to the FW48. The outcome remains uncertain.

- Fil Cleeren

Alpine's blunder as Colapinto makes his first major error of 2026

Alpine appeared poised for another strong performance as the best of the rest for the third straight race weekend, with both drivers on track to earn points. But Baku once again illustrated how swiftly circumstances can shift in Formula 1.

Franco Colapinto, Alpine, Nico Hulkenberg, Audi F1 Team

Franco Colapinto entered Turn 1 too quickly during the restart following the Safety Car due to Alex Albon's crash, colliding with his teammate Pierre Gasly, who then made contact with Lando Norris's McLaren.

The Argentine quickly apologized to Gasly and the entire Alpine crew for what was a clear and costly error, occurring at a critical time as the team is engaged in a fierce battle with Racing Bulls for fifth in the constructors' championship.

Given the tension between Gasly and Colapinto at the end of the previous race in Madrid, along with the online criticism directed at the Frenchman, how Alpine manages the situation - both internally and externally - will be closely monitored.

- Federico Faturos

Perez demonstrates his street racing finesse

Sergio Perez delivered a notable P13 in the second practice session on Thursday, being a second faster than his equally seasoned teammate Valtteri Bottas. The Finn received a new floor and dampers for qualifying, which he described as transformative, yet during the race, Perez simply pulled away from him at a rate of one to two seconds per lap.

Perez possesses an extraordinary talent on street circuits, being neat and precise, capable of manipulating the rear axle into a slide without crashing into the wall. He has long since mastered the unruliness that characterized his initial season in F1; now he embodies the quintessential ‘tyre whisperer’.

This writer unexpectedly received an invitation to observe FP2 from the Cadillac garage, naturally positioning himself on Perez’s side. His driving during this session was even educational for the team; at one point, race engineer Carlo Pasetti inquired about what he perceived as an unusual braking pattern into Turn 1.

Sergio Perez, Cadillac Racing

“Baku style,” replied Perez, keeping some tricks to himself.

In the race, he shadowed the Audis in the early stages, creating a gap of over 20 seconds to his teammate. The Safety Car chaos briefly presented him with an opportunity to snag P13 from quicker cars before Gabriel Bortoleto and Oscar Piastri sped past.

P15 was a meager reward for yet another classy performance, likely going unnoticed by many fans as the focus was on the battle at the front between George Russell and Max Verstappen. However, the substantial gap to Bottas before the Finn's last-lap crash surely raised eyebrows in the Cadillac pit wall…

- Stuart Codling

Photos from F1 Azerbaijan GP - Saturday