George Russell, Mercedes (P2) 9/10
Sick as a dog all weekend – coughing up more than just phlegm – Russell still conjured P2 magic, shadowing Verstappen's dust cloud while babysitting his tyres in the DRS conga line. Outqualifying his rookie teammate by nearly half a second in Q3's madness, he turned personal misery into Mercedes' eighth podium of '25, edging Ferrari in Constructors' drama. "Glad to see the chequered flag," he deadpanned post-race. Heroic? Absolutely. Next time, maybe pack some chicken soup with the Hards.
Max Verstappen, Red Bull (P1) 10/10
In a weekend that screamed chaos with six qualifying red flags, Verstappen turned Baku into his personal playground, snatching pole and leading every lap for a lights-to-flag demolition. His tyre mastery on Hards and Mediums was surgical, shrugging off gusty winds like they were a mild breeze. “Unbelievably fast” RB21 made rivals look pedestrian – title chase now spicier than shashlik. If this was Max’s "straightforward" day, the grid better brace for his complicated ones.
