F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2023 LIVE! Reaction, updates and latest news after Sergio Perez wins
1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix LIVE!
Sergio Perez breathed fresh life into this season's world championship by beating Max Verstappen to victory in Sunday's F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Perez took advantage of an early safety car to stop for new tyres and leapfrog Verstappen in the other Red Bull. The Mexican controlled the remainder of the race to take the chequered flag 2.1 seconds clear of Verstappen.
Charles Leclerc, who started on pole position, finished third for Ferrari with Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso fourth. Lewis Hamilton finished sixth, two places ahead of Mercedes team-mate George Russell.
Perez's win moves him to within six points of Verstappen in the drivers' standings.
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A quick turnaround for Miami in a week’s time.
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Christian Horner tells Sky F1 that the new weekend format meant Max Verstappen was on a “voyage of the unknown” in terms of set-up.
That explains his improved times in the final ten laps, when he finally landed on a more “comfortable” balance for the car.
Utter madness at the end
Big questions to be answered as to who let those photographers and engineers on the pit lane before the race ended.
Time for the champagne!
A delighted Sergio Perez grabs the bottle and joyfully sprays the podium as gold ticker-tape goes up over Baku.
In the cooldown room, Charles Leclerc describes that race as the “loneliest ever”.
Race winner Sergio Perez on his victory
“It was looking good, then the safety car and bunched everyone up.
“It was very close between us, we pushed to the maximum. We both hit the wall and he pushed me hard. We managed to keep it under control.
“I had a bit of luck [hitting the wall] especially with that front right!”
Max Verstappen next up
“The safety car was a bit unlucky but the tyres overheated a bit because of following Perez.
“Once I got some issues sorted the last 10 laps were pretty good, but a lot of things learned and a good team result.”
Charles Leclerc gives his reaction
“They have so much more race pace than us, they’ve found something we haven’t. Everyone’s working flat out to close the gap.
“Honestly, the feeling is a little bit better but when I see the gap, it feels like not eveyrone is pushing 100 per cent.
“You don’t really know how much it’s closed.”
Max Verstappen tells team radio the safety car pit call was a “bit unlucky”, he seems not too disheartened by it.