"With only 20 spots on the grid, 10 spots in the points, and three spots on the podium, anyone's rise is necessarily accompanied by another's fall. Likewise, on the level of an individual race, only razor-thin margins separate a rise from a fall. That's why not every podium this season has been held down by the trio of championship leader Oscar Piastri, his McLaren teammate and primary challenger Lando Norris, and the always lurking Max Verstappen."
"The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix was this kind of race, thanks in part to a chaotic qualifying session and also to a big mistake from Piastri. At the end of the day, there was a hell of a surprise on the third step of the podium, as Carlos Sainz brought home Williams's first podium since 2021, and its first "real" one since 2017."
Formula 1 is a zero-sum sport where limited grid spots, points positions, and podium places make any rise coincide with another's fall. Small margins decide outcomes at individual races, producing unpredictability from mistakes, inspired drives, or underperforming top cars. The 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix featured chaotic qualifying and a major mistake from Oscar Piastri that opened opportunities. Carlos Sainz secured Williams's first podium since 2021 and its first "real" podium since 2017. Sainz, in his first year at Williams after moving to make room for Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari, has produced mixed results and been outscored by teammate Alex Albon.
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