Azerbaijan Grand Prix: Sergio Perez Wins Season's First Sprint

 

Sergio Perez is the winner of the first Sprint Shootout of the season at Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a one-two Red Bull finish on Sunday. 

Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc was outpaced by the Red Bull duo in a show of pace on the straight as Max Verstappen overtook the Ferrari driver and was later outpaced by his teammate, Perez. 

Alpha Tauri's Nick de Vries running off the grid onto the curb led to safety car being called and that moved Perez ahead and Leclerc followed as Verstappen had just pitted. The Dutch driver recovered the second place from Leclerc but Perez dominated on through to the chequers flag. 

Leclerc showed great effort but not his Ferrari will beat Red Bull on the straight and finished third behind Verstappen, who took the second place. The podium finish will be Leclerc's first of the season. 

Fernando Alonso gave a good fight and tugged out Lewis Hamilton, who was forced to quickly pit instead of fighting on before safety car was called. Alonso finished fourth for Aston Martin ahead of Ferrari's Carlos Sainz. Hamilton finished sixth.