Who is the favorite for second place?
While McLaren holds a strong grip on first place and merely delayed celebrations in Baku, the fight for second in the constructors’ championship remains wide open. At the FIA press conference following the race, there was a playful exchange between George Russell and Max Verstappen on this very topic.
When asked to reflect on the battle for second place, George Russell told the media: “Well, I think at the moment, with our current form, there’s about as much chance that Max finishes ahead of us as there is that Ferrari does, to be honest.” Ironically, Max Verstappen immediately corrected the British driver: “Red Bull, no?” The four-time world champion had collected most of the points for Red Bull, prompting Russell to joke: “Yes, Team Verstappen!”
George Russell continued: “Anyway, sorry, I lost my train of thought… But really, everything changes so fast. Ferrari seemed incredibly strong on Friday here, and they’ve always been very competitive at this track. Charles [Leclerc] has been on pole here four times, and they could easily have been first and second on the grid. And, given how difficult it is to overtake, they would probably have finished first and second in the race as well. But, of course, they had a poor qualifying and went home with very few points, while we took 30. So, honestly, no one can know for sure.”
