Azerbaijan Grand Prix: F1 Outsiders to to watch in Baku
F1 Grand PrixWednesday, 10 September 2025 at 04:51
While the headlines focus on McLaren's championship stranglehold and the dominant odds being thrown around for the obvious contenders, the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season could belong to the drivers lurking in the shadows. And it all starts this weekend in Baku.
The 2025 championship has been McLaren’s show, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris combining for 12 victories from 15 rounds at the time of writing. Piastri leads with seven wins, while Norris has five, creating an intra-team battle that has grabbed most of the attention.
But it's the bigger picture that's truly staggering. McLaren's 2025 season is shaping up to be one of the most dominant in Formula 1 history, which makes their title retention not a question of if, but when.
Looking Ahead to Azerbaijan
The 2025 Formula 1 season follows on from Italy and into Baku, with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix set to take place at the Baku City Circuit on Sunday, September 21, starting at 12:00 BST. Practice sessions run from September 19–20, with qualifying on the 20th.
The team that ended a 26-year title drought last season could mathematically wrap up the Championship in the coming rounds, potentially setting records for the earliest clinch in the modern era. With seven races remaining after Baku, McLaren is not just winning; they are rewriting the history books.
Piastri’s Dutch GP victory extended his championship lead to 34 points over teammate Lando Norris, while Max Verstappen sits third in the standings with two wins, and George Russell completes the top four with Mercedes’ only victory this season.
After Monza, nothing changed in the standings, although Max Verstappen won in style, the Red Bull ace winning the Italian Grand Prix, while McLaren fumbled their way to a swapped one-two which resulted in Lando Norris finishing P2 and Oscar Paistri in P3. The gap in the points reduced to 31.
These three have dominated the narrative, but sharp-eyed fans assessing the latest sports betting reviews will have spotted a few under-the-radar drivers starting to build real momentum for a potential breakthrough in the second half of the season.
The beauty of Baku is that past form matters little when the walls start biting. That is why outsiders could still steal the spotlight from McLaren’s record-breaking march.
Here’s where the real value lies, drivers who have been quietly building toward a breakthrough moment. In this article, we highlight the F1 outsiders to watch in the second half of the season and explain why a challenging street circuit like Baku could be the perfect stage for them to make their mark.
The Obvious Picks (That Everyone's Backing)
Before we dive into the value plays, let's acknowledge the consensus favourites hogging the short odds:
Oscar Piastri – Defending Baku winner, championship leader, street circuit specialist. Safe as houses, but where's the fun in that?
Lando Norris – Title challenger with McLaren pace, though his Baku record is patchy. Each-way appeal for the cautious.
Max Verstappen – Four-time champion who's historically strong here. Always a threat, even in Red Bull's inconsistent 2025 form.
Charles Leclerc – Four consecutive Baku poles but still hunting his first win here. Great qualifier, questionable converter.
These four will dominate the pre-race chatter and shorter odds. But Baku has a funny way of making fools of favourites.
The Outsiders Ready to Strike
Alex Albon
Alex Albon has been the class of the midfield in 2025, consistently outperforming expectations despite the arrival of Carlos Sainz at Williams.
Heading into the Dutch GP, he held a 38-point lead over his teammate and extended that advantage by another 10 points with a stellar fifth-place finish.
Starting 15th in Zandvoort after a frustrating Q2 exit, he gained five positions on the opening lap alone and executed a near-perfect race to secure P5. Baku’s long straights and strategic unpredictability could give him another shot at big points, especially if Williams nails its setup this weekend.
Kimi Antonelli
Kimi Antonelli has become the first Italian driver on the Formula 1 grid since 2021, making his debut while still finishing school. At the Dutch GP, he made headlines for a strong recovery drive despite a collision with Charles Leclerc that earned him a 10-second penalty.
The 19-year-old rookie has shown flashes of pace and composure, and while he isn’t expected to challenge for podiums yet, scoring just one point in the last five races, a chaotic street circuit like Baku could give him the chance to score his first major points and make a name for himself. Being the first Italian in four years adds an extra layer of intrigue.
Pierre Gasly
Alpine's 2025 has been inconsistent, but Gasly's aggressive overtaking style and ability to extract performance from tricky cars make him dangerous in unpredictable conditions. He's shown flashes of brilliance this season that haven't quite converted to major points.
Baku's long straights reward brave late-braking, and few drivers commit harder than Gasly. If the race opens up through incidents or strategy calls, he's perfectly positioned to capitalise.
Gabriel Bortoleto
Currently 18th at the time of writing, Brazilian Bortoleto has impressed with his adaptability and composure in his debut season. While raw pace has not always been there, his craft is improving steadily, and a track like Baku, where attrition often creates opportunity, could provide his best chance yet to grab a career-best result.
Baku here we come!
In a season where consistency has ruled, Baku offers chaos. Where McLaren has dominated, the streets of Azerbaijan promise opportunity for those willing to grab it. The smart money might be on the favourites, but the real stories – and the real value – lie with the outsiders ready to announce themselves on Formula 1's most unforgiving stage.
When the lights go out at 12:00 BST on September 21, 51 laps of the unexpected await. The champions and contenders will get the attention, but don't be surprised if it's one of the outsiders writing the headlines when the checkered flag falls.
Latest News
Loading
