Oscar Piastri wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix 2024 after a duel with Leclerc

Oscar Piastri, McLaren driver, secured his second Formula 1 victory after an outstanding performance at the 2024 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Australian overtook pole-sitter Charles Leclerc, maintaining the lead until the end. Mercedes' George Russell completed the podium after a late-race crash involving Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz.

Leclerc started from pole position, but his advantage disappeared when Piastri overtook him on lap 20. From that point on, Leclerc attempted to regain the lead multiple times, but Piastri held firm, consolidating his position as race leader until the end. This defense was key to securing his victory.

Most drivers opted for a one-stop strategy. Pérez was among the first to pit for hard tires on lap 14, followed by Piastri a lap later. Thanks to the intervention of his teammate Lando Norris, who slowed Pérez as he exited the pits, Piastri was able to close the gap to Leclerc and make the decisive overtake at the first corner.

Final incident and positions

The race conclusion saw a major turn in the final laps. Pérez attempted to overtake Leclerc for second place, but contact with Sainz on the penultimate lap left both out of contention. George Russell capitalized on the incident and secured third place.

Lando Norris, starting from 15th, made an impressive recovery to finish fourth, overtaking Max Verstappen in the final laps. Meanwhile, Fernando Alonso crossed the finish line in sixth without major incidents. Alex Albon, who had been running in third early in the race, finished seventh.

Rookie performances

Franco Colapinto was one of the beneficiaries of the Pérez-Sainz crash, as he was set to finish outside the top 10 and out of points. However, the incident allowed him to move up to eighth, securing his best result to date. Oliver Bearman also managed to score points again in Formula 1, finishing 10th, ahead of his teammate Nico Hulkenberg.

Red Bull out of the fight

Red Bull continues to struggle, as they have lost their dominant position in recent races. Verstappen, who held fifth place for most of the race, was unable to challenge the front runners due to stability issues with his car.