Bonkers Baku qualifying sets new F1 record for red flags

A new F1 record was set during a bonkers qualifying session at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

In a drama-filled, extraordinary qualifying that ran for two hours, there were no fewer tea six red flags in Baku.

That breaks the record for the most red flags to feature in an F1 qualifying session.

Championship leader Oscar Piastri and four-time consecutive polesitter in Baku, Charles Leclerc, were among those to crash out and cause red flags.

How the chaos unfolded

The first driver to crash and bring out the red flag was Alex Albon, who clipped the inside wall at Turn 1 in Q1.

His teammate Carlos Sainz would go on to claim a stunning second on the grid in a day of contrasting fortunes for the Williams drivers.

Moments after Q1 resumed, Nico Hulkenberg caused the second when he crashed at Turn 4.

There was a nightmare end to qualifying for Alpine as Pierre Gasly went straight down an escape road, while teammate Franco Colapinto slammed into the wall despite yellow flags being waved.

Colapinto’s accident brought out the third red flag and also saw the first part of qualifying end prematurely.

A fourth red flag came out when Oliver Bearman slid into the wall at Turn 2 and was unable to keep going with the damage sustained to his Haas.

Leclerc caused red flag number five early in Q3 when he went straight on into the tyre barriers at Turn 15.

The pole shootout had only just got back underway when Piastri made a rare mistake when he dramatically crashed at Turn 3 to cause a record-breaking sixth red flag of qualifying.

Red Bull’s Max Verstappen went on to claim his first pole in Baku, denying Sainz right at the end.

Liam Lawson completed a surprise top-three for Racing Bulls as he qualified a career-best third.