Max Verstappen triumphs in Azerbaijan Grand Prix as Oscar Piastri crashes on opening lap

Max Verstappen claimed a commanding victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix while Oscar Piastri's first-lap crash allowed Lando Norris to narrow the championship gap by six points.

Red Bull's Verstappen delivered a flawless performance, his fourth win of the season, highlighting McLaren's concerns despite trailing Piastri by 69 points with seven races remaining.

Piastri, who led the drivers' standings by 31 points, made his first significant error of the season. Having stalled his car at the start, he then ran wide at Turn 5, crashing into the barrier.

Norris, starting seventh, was unable to capitalise fully. Stuck behind traffic and hampered by a slow pit stop due to a wheel gun issue, he gained only six points on Piastri.

Strategy battles and standout performances

• George Russell rose from fifth to second for Mercedes, matching Verstappen's two-stop strategy.

• Carlos Sainz secured third for Williams, their first podium since Belgium 2021.

• Liam Lawson held off Yuki Tsunoda and Lewis Hamilton to finish fourth.

Norris misses key opportunity

McLaren gambled on a late pit stop for Norris to give him fresher tyres, but a two-second delay in the pits cost him a chance to overtake Lawson and Tsunoda. He rejoined two seconds behind and remained stuck in a DRS train.

Red Bull's warning shot

Verstappen managed tyre life expertly, setting the fastest lap and reinforcing Red Bull's potential as title contenders. He credited recent car upgrades for their performance boost and remained optimistic for the upcoming Singapore night race.

Looking ahead

The next round is the Singapore Grand Prix, held under lights on the streets of Marina Bay from October 3-5.

Verstappen’s dominant win in Baku underscores Red Bull’s revival and puts pressure on McLaren despite Piastri’s championship lead.

This topic was reported by BBC Sport.

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