BEIJING (Reuters) - McLaren’s Oscar Piastri withstood heavy pressure from Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to take victory in Sunday’s Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix, as the race ended under caution after a penultimate lap tangle between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.
Starting second on the grid, Piastri remained close to polesitter Leclerc and took the lead at the start of lap 20, diving down the inside of the Monegasque at Turn 1.
From then on, the Australian had Leclerc breathing down his neck for the remainder of the race, and though the Ferrari driver came close to drawing alongside on several occasions, the McLaren always seemed to have just enough to stay ahead, with Piastri seemingly having better rear traction out of corners.
However, Leclerc’s challenge faded with around three laps remaining as he struggled with his tyres, and the Monegasque fell into the clutches of Perez and Sainz, who then collided on lap 50 while battling over third.
But while chaos reigned behind, Piastri reigned supreme to take his second Grand Prix win of 2024, in Behind Piastri, Leclerc took second place, with the Monegasque rueing his Ferrari’s lack of pace on the Hard compound tyres.
Sainz and Perez’s clash promoted Mercedes’ George Russell into an unexpected third place, with Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris salvaging fourth place after starting only 15th following a disrupted qualifying session.
The Briton also took the bonus point for the fastest lap, taking a total of three points out of championship leader Max Verstappen, who had a low-key run to fifth.
Fernando Alonso took sixth for Aston Martin, while an excellent afternoon for Williams saw Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto finish seventh and eighth.