STATISTIC CORNER: Why are Leclerc and Perez the kings of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix?

Reigning champion Max Verstappen has grabbed his first pole position yesterday at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but his former team-mate Sergio Perez and Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc remain the 'kings' of the Baku F1 race.

There have been eight Grands Prix held on the shore of the Caspian Sea, with seven different winners. Azerbaijan hosted its first Formula One race in 2016, but it was referred to as the European Grand Prix. The country remained on the F1 calendar for the following year, but the race was renamed Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

The country has been a fixture on the F1 schedule since the first race in 2017 with the only exception of the 2020 F1 season when the coronavirus pandemic forced Azerbaijan to cancel the race.

The only driver to claim two victories is Sergio Perez, driving for Red Bull in 2021 and 2023. Daniel Ricciardo won the inaugural race in 2017, with Lewis Hamilton, Valtteri Bottas, Max Verstappen and Oscar Piastri having clinched one victory at Baku apiece.

Red Bullis the most successful team with four victories - two for Perez, one for Ricciardo and Verstappen. Mercedes has won three times with Rosberg in 2016, Hamilton in 2018 and Bottas in 2019, while last year, Piastri was first across the finish line for McLaren.

While there have been several names on the winner’s trophy, when it comes to pole positions, one driver is the master of Baku: Charles Leclerc has been quickest in qualifying four times in a row from 2021 to 2024, even at times when his car had not seemed competitive enough to take pole.

The other drivers who have secured the top grid slot are Rosberg (2016), Hamilton (2017), Vettel (2018) and Bottas (2019).

Perez leads the way when it comes to podium finishes with 5, followed by Vettel on 3. As for the teams, Mercedes is on 7 ahead of Red Bull with 6 and Ferrari on 5.