F1: Piastri Clinches Thrilling Victory in Baku as Late Collision Shakes Up Podium

Oscar Piastri secured a remarkable victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a dramatic race on the streets of Baku, narrowly beating Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The race, marked by high-stakes battles, late crashes, and strategic manoeuvres, ended with Piastri claiming his second Formula 1 win and propelling McLaren to the top of the Constructors’ Championship.

Starting from second on the grid, Piastri initially trailed pole-sitter Leclerc during the opening stages of the 51-lap contest. However, the dynamics changed after the sole pit-stop phase for the front-runners. Piastri managed to overhaul Leclerc, setting up a tense four-way contest that included Red Bull's Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

The lead remained fiercely contested, with Piastri executing crucial defences against Leclerc, while Perez and Sainz joined the battle, maintaining pressure on both Piastri and Leclerc. As the race progressed, tyre degradation played a significant role. Leclerc’s fading grip allowed Piastri to create a small yet crucial gap, pushing Leclerc into a defensive stance against Perez and Sainz.

The penultimate lap brought dramatic consequences when Perez, attempting to pass Leclerc, went wheel-to-wheel with Sainz. The resulting collision between the Red Bull and Ferrari sent both drivers crashing into the barriers between Turns 2 and 3, ending their races and triggering a Virtual Safety Car period.

Despite the chaotic finish, Piastri emerged victorious, describing the experience as “the most stressful afternoon of my life.” His triumph not only secured another win for McLaren but also gave the team a critical boost in the Constructors' standings.

Leclerc settled for second place, having defended valiantly against the aggressive challenges from Perez and Sainz before their dramatic exits. This incident provided a golden opportunity for Mercedes’ George Russell, who capitalized on the collision to secure an unexpected third-place finish and earn a spot on the podium.

Further down the order, McLaren’s Lando Norris made an impressive climb from his P15 starting position, executing an alternative strategy that saw him overtake reigning world champion Max Verstappen to claim fourth place. Verstappen, who appeared to struggle with pace throughout the race, had to settle for fifth in what was a challenging outing for Red Bull.

Fernando Alonso had a relatively uneventful race, bringing his Aston Martin home in sixth. Meanwhile, Williams showed their potential with Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto scoring valuable points following strong qualifying performances. Albon finished seventh, with Colapinto close behind in eighth.

Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton recovered from a back-of-the-grid start due to an engine penalty, finishing in ninth to round out a double points finish for the team. The final point went to Haas stand-in Ollie Bearman, who showcased an impressive drive to finish just ahead of his more experienced teammate, Nico Hulkenberg.

Outside the points, Pierre Gasly recovered to 12th after a challenging weekend that included disqualification from qualifying. Red Bull’s Daniel Ricciardo, Sauber’s Zhou Guanyu, and Alpine’s Esteban Ocon finished behind Gasly, having fought their way back from power unit penalties that hindered their starting positions.

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