Carlos Sainz delivered one of his strongest performances of the season by taking second place in Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying, narrowly missing out on pole to Max Verstappen. The Williams driver was thrilled with the result and is now aiming for a podium finish in Sunday’s race.
Sainz Delighted with Front-Row Start in Baku
The Spaniard looked set to claim Williams’ first pole position in over a decade after posting the fastest lap before a red flag in Q3, triggered by Charles Leclerc’s crash. Another stoppage followed when championship leader Oscar Piastri hit the wall, leaving Sainz still on provisional pole.
With rain drops making conditions tricky, the session came down to a one-lap shootout. Sainz’s hopes of pole were dashed in the closing seconds as Verstappen found enough pace to take P1, leaving the Williams man second on the grid.
Sainz Confident in Williams’ Speed
Despite missing out on pole, Sainz praised both his performance and the team’s execution.
“Very happy, honestly. We’ve nailed qualifying today,” Sainz said. “We were always on the right tyres at the right time and I managed to put together strong laps. As soon as a top car like Max’s puts a lap in, we’re usually a few tenths behind, but we beat the rest and P2 is a great result.”
Sainz admitted his season has been tough since joining Williams from Ferrari, with just one top-10 finish so far and no points in his last six races. However, he believes qualifying proved the car has pace and that better results will follow.
Williams Looking Ahead to Race Day
Sainz made his ambitions clear heading into Sunday’s 51-lap race around the streets of Baku.
“Try and stick it on the podium,” he stated. “I’ll give everything to secure Williams’ first podium with me. If it’s possible, great—if not, we’ll see.”
Meanwhile, teammate Alex Albon will start from the back of the grid after crashing in Q1 at Turn 1, breaking his suspension. Albon admitted it was “a rookie mistake” and warned that overtaking in Baku would be difficult, meaning Williams face contrasting challenges on race day.
Conclusion: Sainz Chasing First Williams Podium in Baku
Carlos Sainz’s second-place qualifying in Azerbaijan marks a turning point in a difficult season. With a front-row start secured, he has a golden opportunity to fight for a podium and deliver Williams their best result of the year. All eyes now turn to the Azerbaijan GP to see if Sainz can turn qualifying pace into race-day glory.
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