Oscar Piastri wins Azerbaijan GP, Verstappen holds P1 in GFT Rankings, but lead narrows

15 September 2024
By Bob Francis, Managing Editor
Go Full Throttle Racing News

BAKU CITY, AZERBAIJAN — Oscar Piastri Triumphs in a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix after a fierce battle with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc. The race featured dramatic crashes, strategic pit stops, and intense wheel-to-wheel action right from the start.

Piastri trailed pole-sitter Leclerc in the early stages of the 51-lap encounter but overhauled him shortly after the front-runners’ sole pit stop (Image Credit: F1 TV, formula1.com)

Early Stages and Strategic Moves

Pole-sitter Charles Leclerc led the pack in the early stages, but Piastri stayed close, waiting for the right moment to strike. The pivotal moment came after the single pit stop phase, where Piastri managed to overtake Leclerc. This move set the stage for a tense four-way battle for the lead, with Red Bull Racing’s Sergio Perez and Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz joining the fray. World Champion Max Verstappen started 6th, but fought an ill-handling car and lack of top-end speed which prevented him from challenging for the lead.

High Drama and Late Crashes

As the race progressed, the tension mounted. Leclerc’s tires began to fade, allowing Piastri to gain some breathing room. However, the drama peaked on the penultimate lap when Perez and Sainz collided spectacularly, ending their races and bringing out the Virtual Safety Car. This incident allowed Piastri to secure his second Grand Prix win, propelling McLaren to the top of the constructors’ championship.

Perez and Sainz battling for 3rd place crash in the closing laps, but climb unhurt out of their cars, with the stewards’ investigation to follow (Image Credit: F1 TV, formula1.com)

Unexpected Podium Finishers

Behind Piastri and Leclerc, George Russell capitalized on the chaos to claim an unlikely podium finish for Mercedes. Lando Norris, starting from P15, executed an alternative strategy to finish fourth, ahead of title rival Max Verstappen. Fernando Alonso had a relatively quiet race, finishing sixth, while Alex Albon and Franco Colapinto scored valuable points for Williams.

Notable Performances and Retirements

Lewis Hamilton, starting from the back due to engine issues, fought his way to ninth, making it a double points finish for Mercedes. Haas stand-in Ollie Bearman impressed by finishing just ahead of his experienced teammate Nico Hulkenberg. The race saw several retirements, including Lance Stroll and Yuki Tsunoda, who clashed on the opening lap.

GFT F1 DRIVER RANKINGS after Azerbaijan

Go Full Throttle Formula 1 AI Driver Rankings following the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on September 15, 2024 at Baku City Street Circuit (Image Credit: GFT Digital)

World Champion Max Verstappen’s 5th place finish in Baku limited the damage from another difficult race, cutting his lead in the F1 Driver Championship points to 59 points over Lando Norris in P2.

Looking Ahead

Piastri’s victory in Baku marks a significant milestone in his career and puts McLearn atop the Constructor Championship points as the F1 moves to Singapore for the next race.