The 2024 Formula 1 season continues to deliver drama, surprises, and standout performances, and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix was no exception. From stunning victories to painful setbacks, this race weekend highlighted the highs and lows of motorsport. As the championship intensifies, let’s take a look at who is leaving happy and who is disappointed.

Winners:

Oscar Piastri
Great drivers go for the gap, and that’s exactly what Oscar Piastri did in Baku. The Australian boldly overtook Charles Leclerc for the lead shortly after being advised by his race engineer to be gentle with his tyres, securing his second Grand Prix victory. Piastri is currently F1’s standout performer, accumulating more points than anyone else on the grid over the last seven races.

While a championship challenge seems unlikely—he is 91 points behind Verstappen—this kind of consistency is critical for McLaren’s push to win their first constructors' title in over two decades.

McLaren
McLaren have faced heavy criticism over their handling of team orders, but they have managed to navigate through it successfully, focusing on delivering results on track. Their performance in Baku, with first and fourth-place finishes, propelled them into the lead of the constructors' championship for the first time since the 2014 Australian Grand Prix. This remarkable turnaround comes just 21 months after they were at the bottom of the standings following the season opener in Bahrain.

Ollie Bearman
For the second consecutive race, Ollie Bearman made the most of his opportunity, driving confidently to secure 10th place for Haas. He stepped in for Kevin Magnussen, who was banned due to exceeding the allowed penalty points on his super license. Bearman perfectly demonstrated why Haas decided to sign him for a full-time seat next year.

The youngster delivered a composed performance throughout the weekend. He outqualified his teammate Nico Hulkenberg, finished in the points, responded well to team instructions on tyre management, and defended his position against drivers like Lewis Hamilton. Impressively, Bearman is the first driver in F1 history to score points for two different constructors in his first two Grand Prix appearances. He finished seventh when substituting for Carlos Sainz in Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

Williams
Williams had their best showing of the season, with Alex Albon finishing seventh and rookie Franco Colapinto securing his first F1 points in eighth. This marks only the second time in three seasons that Williams finished with both cars in the points. This significant result moves them up to eighth in the constructors' standings, just 13 points behind Haas.

Williams was strong all weekend, with Colapinto outqualifying Albon by one spot, and both cars showed solid race pace. Heading to Singapore, where they plan to introduce upgrades, Williams is looking for continued success.

Losers:

Max Verstappen
It was another tough weekend for the championship leader. Verstappen was overshadowed by his teammate Sergio Perez throughout. Starting outside the top five for the third time in four races, Verstappen only improved his position after Perez and Carlos Sainz collided later in the race, allowing him to climb up to fifth. A virtual safety car robbed him of the chance to push for the fastest lap, despite having just switched to soft tyres.

Verstappen’s winless streak now stretches to seven races, meaning his last victory was in Spain, and he has only stood on the podium once since then. The good news for him is that Lando Norris only gained three points in the championship standings, with Verstappen’s lead now at 59 points.

RB
RB have hit a rough patch in recent races, with Baku proving to be another difficult weekend, despite the team bringing some upgrades that, according to team boss Laurent Mekies, added some performance.

Yuki Tsunoda’s race was essentially over from the start due to damage from a collision with Lance Stroll, while Daniel Ricciardo struggled with severe tyre graining, an issue Mekies described as "extremely unusual."

What was once a comfortable sixth place in the constructors' standings is now in danger, with Haas just five points behind and Williams also closing in.

Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez
Sergio Perez was hunting for the lead while Carlos Sainz had closed in on the leading pack, making it a four-way battle when the two got too close and collided, sending both drivers into the wall.

It was a tough blow for Sainz, who had achieved his best-ever qualifying in Baku with third. Unfortunately, the collision marked his second failure to finish in 2024. For Perez, the incident was even more devastating, as he had outperformed Verstappen all weekend and was looking to break his 11-race streak without a podium.