BAKU: Max Verstappen grabbed his sixth pole position of the season for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a crash-marred qualifying session on the Baku street circuit Saturday.
Red Bull’s reigning world champion edged Spaniard Carlos Sainz of Williams and New Zealander Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls in a chaotic session which saw seven crashes.
World championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed in Q3 and will start from ninth on the grid, two places behind McLaren teammate Lando Norris.
While the battle for pole position usually lasts an hour, this time it lasted almost two hours due to the time needed to remove the crashed cars, clean up debris scattered across the track, and repair crash barriers.
There were three red flags in Q1, the first part of qualifying, following crashes by Thailand’s Alexander Albon (Williams), Germany’s Nico Hülkenberg (Sauber), and Argentina’s Franco Colapinto (Alpine).
Then there was an interruption in Q2 when Britain’s Oliver Bearman (Haas) went off the track, and finally two in Q3 following the violent crashes of Monaco’s Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) and Australia’s Piastri.
Norris failed to seize the opportunity offered to him by Piastri, finishing only seventh after a mistake on his only flying lap in Q3.
The Briton will therefore start only two places ahead of his teammate, who has a 31-point lead over him at the top of the world championship.
Verstappen claims pole in chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying
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Verstappen claims pole in chaotic Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying
- Red Bull’s reigning world champion edged Spaniard Carlos Sainz of Williams and New Zealander Liam Lawson of Racing Bulls in a chaotic session which saw seven crashes
- There were three red flags in Q1
FIA, Formula 1 and all 11 race teams sign 9th Concorde Agreement
- FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem says new contract secures the FIA Formula One World Championship’s long-term future
DUBAI: The Federation Internationale de l’Automobile, the global governing body for motorsport and the federation for mobility organisations worldwide, and Formula One Group, the commercial rights holder, have announced the signing of the Concorde Governance Agreement, a contract defining the regulatory framework and governance terms of the FIA Formula One World Championship until 2030.
This follows the announcement in March that the 2026 Commercial Concorde Agreement had been signed by all the teams and Formula One Group.
Together, these agreements constitute the ninth Concorde Agreement, a major step forward in the professionalisation and global development of the sport.
First introduced in 1981, the Concorde Agreements are designed to promote sporting fairness, technological innovation and operational excellence, and align all key stakeholders around a shared vision for structured governance and continued growth of the sport.
Each iteration of the Concorde Agreements has shaped the FIA Formula One World Championship into the global spectacle it is today.
The ninth Concorde Agreement announced today marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between the FIA and Formula One Group, who have worked together to write the next chapter in Formula One history, demonstrating mutual respect, transparency and shared purpose between the two organisations.
It confirms the participation of all FIA Formula One World Championship teams, including the incoming Cadillac Formula One team, through the end of the decade, and provides a stable foundation for the sporting and technical evolution of the sport.
The Concorde Agreement underscores the commitment of the FIA, Formula One Group and all teams to continue growing and developing the sport, and to keep driving the momentous expansion it has enjoyed in recent years.
The new contract enables the FIA to invest further in improved race regulation, race direction, stewarding and technical expertise for the benefit of the championship, and means the sport can continue to evolve, providing exciting technological innovation and sporting action for fans, broadcasters and partners, all within a stable and structured regulatory framework.
Combined with record viewership growth, a dynamic race calendar, and increasing engagement from younger audiences, the FIA Formula One World Championship enters this next chapter with unprecedented momentum.
Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the FIA, said: “The ninth Concorde Agreement secures the FIA Formula One World Championship’s long-term future and I am proud of the dedication that has been invested in this process.
“I would like to thank Stefano Domenicali and his team in what has been a strong collaboration, building a framework grounded in fairness, stability, and shared ambition. This agreement allows us to continue modernising our regulatory, technological, and operational capabilities, including supporting our race directors, officials, and the thousands of volunteers whose expertise underpin every race.
“We are ensuring that Formula One remains at the forefront of technological innovation, setting new standards in global sport.”
Domenicali, president and CEO of Formula One Group, said: “Today is an important day for Formula One. As we celebrate 75 years of this incredible sport, we are proud to write the next chapter in our long and amazing history.
“This agreement ensures that Formula One is in the best possible position to continue to grow around the world. I want to thank the president of the FIA, Mohammed Ben Sulayem and all the teams for the collaboration and determination to achieve the best results for the entire sport in our discussions.
“We have a huge amount to be proud of, but we also are focused on the opportunities and exciting potential for Formula One in the years ahead.”
