Perez benefited when team-mate Max Verstappen came in at the safety car, which cost him two places.

Before that, Verstappen had passed Ferrari’s pole-sitter Charles Leclerc to take the lead at the start of lap four and open the gap. The safety car was called after Verstappen pitted and he dropped to third when his rival pitted.

Despite quickly passing Leclerc, Verstappen dropped out of Perez’s DRS range and never came into attacking distance.

2023 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Results

How the 2023 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix is ​​unfolding

Leclerc maintained pole position heading into Turn 1, ahead of Verstappen and Perez.

Verstappen stayed within Leclerc’s DRS and was ahead of him at the start of lap four, while Perez repeated the move against Leclerc two rounds later, making it 1-2 for the Red Bulls.

Behind the Ferraris of Leclerc and Carlos Sainz, Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes suffered tire wear and was attacked by Fernando Alonso’s Aston Martin, with Hamilton racing into the pits before being overtaken.

Verstappen pitted under the green on lap 11, Nyck de Vries’ AlphaTauri stopped on the track and triggered the safety car moments later. Perez, who was right behind Verstappen before his pit stop, benefited by pitting in yellow a lap later – meaning Perez and Leclerc were ahead of Verstappen.

Ferrari and Aston Martin double-stacked their cars to allow George Russell (Mercedes) to pass Lance Stroll (Aston).

The race turned green again on lap 14, with Perez leading Leclerc, Verstappen, Sainz, Alonso, Russell and Stroll.Hamilton was the biggest loser, dropping from fifth to 10th^day.

Verstappen passed Leclerc at Turn 3 for second, Stroll passed Russell later and Alonso passed Sainz at Turn 4. A lap later, Hamilton passed Russell at Turn 1, overtaking his team-mate.

Stroll hit the wall at Turn 5, the same mistake de Vries made, but he survived in the left front corner. After Lance went wide at Turn 16, Hamilton overtook Stroll for sixth. Hamilton then set his sights on Sainz, but just couldn’t find a way to overtake.

At the front, Perez grazed just one wall at Turn 15, but maintained his lead over Verstappen following Saturday’s sprint win, his second of the weekend. Leclerc was well behind in third because he was out of Alonso’s range.

Sainz stopped Hamilton, as did Stroll and Russell – Russell’s final pit stop for the soft tyres, which added points to the fastest lap of the final Tour.

Esteban Ocon started his Alpine from the pit lane, pitted on the final lap and noticed someone run across the lane. Fortunately, they escaped in time.

2023 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix Fastest Lap

2023 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix tire guide