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Norris currently leads Verstappen in speed.

In the last practice run before qualifying, Lando Norris claimed the quickest lap, while Max Verstappen, the current World Championship leader, ended up in third place.

, and ASMedia

2025 September 30 . 7:25 AM

2 min read

Verstappen is surpassed by Norris in terms of speed.

Norris currently leads Verstappen in speed.

In the bustling city of Baku, the Azerbaijan Grand Prix qualifying session took place under challenging conditions, with winds reaching up to 30 km/h. Despite the difficult weather, it was Australian driver Oscar Piastri who shone brightest, securing the fastest lap and securing a strong starting position for Sunday's race.

Piastri, who is only 25 years old, currently drives for McLaren and has been making waves in the Formula 1 world. He outpaced his teammate Lando Norris in the qualifying session, with Norris finishing in second place. Piastri's stellar performance has propelled him to the top of the World Drivers' Championship (WM) standings, with 31 points to his name.

Norris, a 25-year-old British driver, also had a strong showing in the qualifying session. He set a blistering pace in the battle for pole position, but ultimately fell just short of Piastri's time. Norris will be starting in second place for Sunday's race, looking to capitalise on his strong qualifying performance.

Max Verstappen, the four-time Formula 1 world champion, also had a solid qualifying session, finishing in third place. Verstappen, who drives for Red Bull, was 0.222 seconds slower than Norris in the qualifying session, but will still be a force to be reckoned with on Sunday. Verstappen's teammate Sergio Perez finished in fourth place, with Lewis Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, rounding out the top five.

Hamilton, who is currently driving a Ferrari, had a strong qualifying session, finishing just 0.067 seconds behind Perez. Nico Hülkenberg, the only German driver in the field, finished in twelfth place in the qualifying session.

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix is held on an approximately 6-kilometer track, which features a mix of high-speed straights and tight, twisty corners. The decision on the starting positions for the Grand Prix on Sunday (13:00 CEST) will be made today at 14:00 CEST.

With Piastri leading the WM standings and Norris hot on his heels, Sunday's race is shaping up to be an exciting one. Verstappen, who is currently third in the standings, will be looking to close the gap and challenge for victory. The battle for pole position and the race for the championship is far from over, and fans can expect an action-packed weekend in Baku.