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Young Piastri reigns supreme in Baku─── MORGAN PIEK 08:12 Mon, 16 Sep 2024
“The last couple of laps, once Leclerc dropped out of DRS, were a little bit more relaxing, but there’s no such thing as a relaxing lap around here so it was hard work. It definitely goes down as one of the better races of my career.”
The young Australian driver, Oscar Piastri, has claimed the second Formula 1 win of his career by clinching the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.
On Sunday (15/9), the McLaren driver beat the pole-sitter Charles Leclerc of Ferrari by 10.91 seconds in an epic race which also had late drama.
On the penultimate lap, Sergio Perez of Red Bull and Carlos Sainz of Ferrari crashed, which allowed George Russell of Mercedes-Benz to snatch third. The reigning world champion, Max Verstappen, has to settle for fifth overall, behind his close title rival, Lando Norris. Piastri said he had to use the opportunity when it presented itself in the race.
Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc. Picture: X
“I tried at the start of the race to get in front but once I dropped out of DRS I just didn’t have the pace,” said winner Piastri. “After the stop, I saw we were pretty close again and I felt like we had a little bit of extra grip. I had to go for it because I knew that if I didn’t get past at the start of the stint, I was never going to get past.
“I went for a pretty big lunge but managed to pull it off and then hang on for dear life for the next 35 laps. The last couple of laps, once Leclerc dropped out of DRS, were a little bit more relaxing, but there’s no such thing as a relaxing lap around here so it was hard work. It definitely goes down as one of the better races of my career.”
This week the circuit heads to the Far East for the Singapore Grand Prix.
