PIASTRI WINS IN AZERBAIJAN IN A WELL EARNED VICTORY

F1 was in Baku, Azerbaijan, for Round 17 of this incredibly exciting Championship battle but Norris and Verstappen weren't in the headlines after the chequered flag but it was Piastri who takes the plaudits after driving a controlled race to win his second ever F1 race ahead of 4x pole sitter at Baku in second and Russell who takes a surprise podium similar to Austria when the two cars ahead of him collide gifting the Mercedes a podium place.

It was pole sitter Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) who got away well and leads into turn one ahead of the McLaren of Oscar Piastri in second and Sergio Perez (Red Bull) who moved up to third. A clean first lap at a track which often causes chaos. It turns out Baku was saving the drama for the dying moments of the race...

Just sixteen laps in Yuki Tsunoda is retired from the race. Side pod damage the reason for the RB’s retirement which was picked up on the first lap after contact with the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll.

But lap 20 was where the turning point of this race was as Piastri dive-bombs Leclerc into turn one and takes the lead of the race! Leclerc can’t find a way back straight away! But can the McLaren pull out a gap and run away with this as Leclerc was doing earlier on in this race?

But after five laps Piastri hasn’t pulled away with Leclerc still getting DRS down the start finish straight. But the McLaren is quick enough to just stay ahead by 4-5 tenths of a second.

On lap 47 Stroll is retired from the race with a brake issue. Reportedly picked up in the contact with Tsunoda in the first lap.

With just 4 laps left Leclerc’s tyres have hit the edge of the cliff and Piastri is running away with this and Perez can smell a second place and Sainz can smell a podium finish... But then on the 50th and penultimate lap...

SAINZ AND PEREZ CRASH INTO THE WALL! Sainz tried to make sure Perez was behind and his rear wheel connects and sticks to the front tyre of Perez and they go sailing into the wall and end both their races prematurely which will be extra frustating for Perez who had driven such a solid race after his poor form in recent months.

The crash means the VSC is deployed and the race ends under VSC conditions but a well dissevered win for Piastri.

In other news lower down the field - both Franco Colapinto and Ollie Bearman pick up points for both Williams and Haas respectively. Both drivers starting just their second F1 races.

The next race is the Singapore Grand Prix.

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