Purple Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez drove brilliantly on the 2023 Formulation 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix over the weekend to take house not solely the win in the principle race on Sunday but in addition within the new standalone Dash race held on Saturday.

With factors up for grabs in each occasions, it means Perez is now just a few factors shy of the title lead, held by fellow Purple Bull driver and reigning champion Max Verstappen.

Perez led a Purple Bull one-two end in the principle race on the Baku Metropolis Circuit, with Verstappen crossing the road two seconds behind his teammate. Rounding out the highest three was Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc, who completed 21 seconds behind the winner.

Leclerc began the race on the pole however could not match the tempo of the 2 Purple Bull drivers and shortly trailed them, with Verstappen within the lead and Perez shut behind. Girl luck then shone on Perez, when AlphaTauri’s Nyck de Vries got here to a cease on lap 10. Verstappen, who was complaining about his rear tires sliding, pitted instantly, whereas Perez held out.

2023 Formulation 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

The security automobile was then known as solely on the finish of that lap, disadvantaging anybody who pitted earlier. Perez pitted towards the top of lap 11 and managed to return out within the lead spot, with Leclerc in second and Verstappen in third.

The security automobile ultimately left the monitor on the finish of lap 14, after which Verstappen was capable of rapidly move Leclerc. Nevertheless, he could not get the perfect of his teammate and by lap 17 Perez had already constructed up a niche of 1 second. Regardless of a sequence of quickest laps, Verstappen wasn’t capable of catch Perez, who held on to the lead spot till the end.

Additional again, Leclerc held off a late cost from Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso, who needed to accept fourth place. Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz rounded out the highest 5, after managing to carry off Mercedes-Benz AMG’s Lewis Hamilton within the closing phases.

With their newest factors haul, the Purple Bull drivers now have a transparent lead within the 2023 Drivers’ Championship. Verstappen stays on prime with 93 factors, with Perez shut behind with a tally of 87 factors. Fernando Alonso is third with 60 factors. Within the Constructors’ Championship, Purple Bull leads with 180 factors, versus the 87 of Aston Martin and 76 of Mercedes. The following race on the calendar is the Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for this weekend.

Sergio Perez on the 2023 Formulation 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix – Photograph credit score: Getty Pictures

Under are the complete outcomes from the 2023 Formulation 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix:

1) Sergio Perez, Purple Bull Racing
2) Max Verstappen, Purple Bull Racing +2.137 seconds
3) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari +21.217 seconds
4) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin +22.024 seconds
5) Carlos Sainz, Ferrari +45.491 seconds
6) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes-Benz AMG +46.145 seconds
7) Lance Stroll, Aston Martin +51.617 seconds
8) George Russell, Mercedes-Benz AMG +74.240 seconds
9) Lando Norris, McLaren +80.376 seconds
10) Yuki Tsunoda, AlphaTauri +83.862 seconds
11) Oscar Piastri, McLaren +86.501 seconds
12) Alexander Albon, Williams +88.623 seconds
13) Kevin Magnussen, Haas +89.729 seconds
14) Pierre Gasly, AlphaTauri +91.332 seconds
15) Esteban Ocon, Alpine +97.794 seconds
16) Logan Sargeant, Williams +100.943 seconds
17) Nico Hulkenberg, Haas +1 lap
18) Valtteri Bottas, Alfa Romeo +1 lap
NC) Zhou Guanyu, Alfa Romeo – DNF
NC) Nyck De Vries, AlphaTauri – DNF