Sergio Perez Wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Sergio Perez of Red Bull Racing took the checkered flag at the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix held on Sunday, April 30, at the Baku City Circuit racetrack.

The driver completed the race in 1 hour and 32 minutes, breezing past his teammate Max Verstappen, who finished second behind him. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc secured the third spot, followed by Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso in fourth and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz in fifth.

The win has elevated Perez to the second position on the driver standings with 87 points, six points behind Verstappen. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso from Aston Martin sits in the last spot of the Top 3 with 60 points. In the Constructor Standings, Red Bull Racing leads with 180 points, followed by Aston Martin in second place with 87 points, and Mercedes in third with 76 points.

The next round of the Formula One 2023 calendar will take place in the US on May 7. 

This year’s event in Baku attracted fans from 100 countries, breaking the record for the highest ticket sales. For the first time in six years, the tournament also hosted the largest number of foreign fans, making it a truly international event.

The Baku City Circuit racetrack, which measures 6.003 kilometers in length, runs through several major streets of Baku, near the Caspian Sea promenade. Known for its long straights, the circuit is considered the “fastest street circuit in the world.” It also presents a challenge to drivers with an extremely narrow section next to the historical site of Old City walls in the center of Baku. The race was first held in Azerbaijan as the European Grand Prix in 2016 and has been held annually in the country since then, except for 2020 when it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021 race was held without an audience.