Why Sainz wasn’t able to hold off Russell for P2 in Baku

Carlos Sainz secured Williams' first podium since 2021 at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, finishing P3. The central question remains why he couldn't maintain P2 against Mercedes' George Russell. The race saw Max Verstappen's start-to-finish domination, with minimal incident after Oscar Piastri's opening lap crash brought out the Safety Car, leaving Verstappen unchallenged. Consequently, the main point of interest shifted to whether Sainz, who brilliantly qualified his Williams in second, could defend his position from several inherently faster cars behind him, ultimately succumbing to Russell but still achieving a remarkable third place.