By Alan Baldwin, Reuters
Oscar Piastri leads McLaren team-mate Lando Norris during the Belgian Grand Prix, 2025. Photo: FLORENT GOODEN / PHOTOSPORT
Formula 1 fans know to expect the unexpected, but it would still be quite a surprise should McLaren fail to secure the constructors' title in Azerbaijan this weekend with an unprecedented seven rounds to spare.
The reigning champions have won 12 of 16 races so far this season, with seven one-two finishes, and are returning to a Baku city circuit where current leader Oscar Piastri sped to victory last year.
A one-two result would clinch a 10th constructors' crown for McLaren, and second in succession, but so too would beating closest rivals Ferrari by nine points, providing Mercedes or Red Bull do not win big.
To put it in perspective, Ferrari have only once this campaign outscored McLaren and then by only six points in Canada after Lando Norris and teammate Piastri collided with the Briton retiring.
McLaren have scored 22 points more than Ferrari on average in the other 15 races and arrive in Baku with a lead of 337 points and 346 still to be won after Sunday's race.
Mercedes and Red Bull have also outscored McLaren just once, by 28 and six points respectively in Canada.
McLaren team-mates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, 2025. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Piastri, 31 points clear of Norris, has scored in every race and been off the podium only twice while Norris has drawn two blanks.
Ferrari, meanwhile, have yet to win or see seven-times world champion Lewis Hamilton stand on the podium in their red overalls.
The odds all point to a McLaren celebration on Sunday with the team set to eclipse Red Bull's 2023 feat of wrapping up the title with six rounds remaining and overtake Williams as the second most successful team of all time after Ferrari.
That would then leave Piastri and Norris unleashed in their drivers' duel with the prospect of a fight down to the wire without team orders.
Ferrari will still be strong opponents this weekend, however, with Charles Leclerc chasing a fifth successive Baku pole position.
Red Bull could also be back in the mix, with four-times world champion Max Verstappen winning at Monza from pole position.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen during the 2024 Azerbaijan GP in Baku. Photo: Stephen Blackberry / photosport
Formula 1 statistics for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku, the 17th race of the 24-round championship:
- Lap distance: 6.003km. Total distance: 306.049km (51 laps)
- 2024 pole position: Charles Leclerc (Monaco), Ferrari, one minute 41.365 seconds.
- 2024 winner: Oscar Piastri (Australia), McLaren
- Race lap record: Leclerc, 1:43.009. Ferrari, 2019
- Start time: 11pm Sunday NZ time (1500 local)
Azerbaijan
The street circuit, with fast and wide straights and a winding and very narrow section through the old town, made its debut in 2016 as the European Grand Prix and has 20 corners.
The name changed in 2017, when the race was held in June. There was no race in 2020 due to Covid-19.
Piastri (2024), Max Verstappen (2022) and Lewis Hamilton (2018) are the only current drivers to have won in Baku despite Ferrari's Leclerc starting on pole for the last four years in a row.
There have been seven different winners in eight races in Azerbaijan.
Only two of the races have been won from pole (Nico Rosberg in 2016 and Valtteri Bottas in 2019) but four winners have started on the front row, including Piastri last year.
Daniel Ricciardo won for Red Bull from 10th on the grid in 2017 and Sergio Perez from sixth in 2021.
Pirelli is bringing its softest trio of tyre compounds to open up the possibility of a two-stop strategy on a street layout with low levels of wear.
Safety cars are a regular feature of races in Baku.
Drivers' championship
Piastri leads McLaren teammate Lando Norris by 31 points with eight rounds remaining. Verstappen is third and 94 points off the lead.
Constructor's title
Defending champions McLaren have a first chance to clinch their 10th constructors' championship on Sunday.
The Woking-based team have 617 points, a lead of 337 over Ferrari with Mercedes a further 20 behind and Red Bull fourth on 239.
McLaren, winners of 12 of 16 races so far with seven one-two finishes, need to score nine points more than Ferrari to be sure of the title - unless Mercedes score 12 points more and Red Bull 33 more.
There are a maximum 43 points available in Baku, leaving 346 still to be won from the remaining seven rounds that include three sprint races worth 15 points each.
Wins
Piastri has won seven times this season, Norris five, Verstappen three and Mercedes' George Russell once.
Hamilton has not won since his career 105th victory in Belgium on 28 July, 2024.
Verstappen has won 66 grands prix and is third on the all-time list after Michael Schumacher on 91.
McLaren have had seven one-two finishes this season.
Pole position
Piastri and Verstappen have been on pole five times each this season, Norris four, Russell and Leclerc once.
Podium
Piastri has been on the podium 14 times in 2025, Norris 13.
Leclerc's second place in Monaco remains Ferrari's best of the season. The Monegasque has five podiums for the season. Hamilton has yet to stand on the podium for Ferrari.
Points
Piastri is the only driver to have scored in every race this year. The Australian has scored for 42 race weekends in a row, if sprints are included - and in 34 successive grands prix.
Only one driver on the grid has yet to score - Alpine rookie Franco Colapinto.
Milestone
McLaren can set a record for winning the constructors' championship with the most races remaining. If they clinch it in Baku, it would be with seven rounds to go - one more than Red Bull who won in 2023 with six rounds left.
- Reuters
