F1
High Chance That Baku Race Was Verstappen's Last Opportunity for Victory This Year
Max Verstappen finished 0.196 seconds behind George Russell in Baku, with high probability that this was his last chance to win this season due to Mercedes bringing a significant update package to Malaysia next week. Starting eighth after a qualifying engine issue, Verstappen felt time pressure but managed a close finish, marking Red Bull's first double podium since China 2024 alongside Isack Hadjar. Team principal Laurent Mekies noted these were the final major updates for this year, with development shifting to the 2027 car. Meanwhile, championship leader Kimi Antonelli expects Mercedes' new parts to increase downforce, addressing tire wear issues, leaving rain as the only unknown factor for all teams.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's