Oscar Piastri: “One of the best races of my career”
On the urban circuit of Baku, where only Mercedes and Red Bull have won in the past, it was Oscar Piastri's McLaren that took victory on Sunday after 51 laps of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
Second victory of the season for the Australian driver. Starting 2nd in qualifying, he fought with Charles Leclerc throughout the race, making a beautiful overtaking move on the 20th lap. Despite the good pace of the Ferraris, the Monegasque driver couldn’t manage to take the lead in the race.
Oscar Piastri looks back on his victory: I tried at the beginning of the race to overtake, but once out of the DRS zone, I simply didn’t have the pace. After the pit stop, I saw that we were close again and I felt that we had a bit more grip, so I had to go for it, because I knew that if I didn’t overtake him at the start of the stint, I would never be able to pass him.
It took a while, but the top speed of the McLaren has been unbeatable lately. « I tried a big attack, but I managed to make it work and then I hung on for the next 35 laps. The last two laps, once he [Leclerc] was out of the DRS zone, were a bit quieter, but here, there’s never really a quiet lap. It was hard work, but it’s one of the best races of my career. »
The British team is widening the gap in the constructors’ standings, with 20 points now separating McLaren and Red Bull. In terms of drivers, Lando Norris is closing in on Max Verstappen, who is still leading with 313 points. Oscar Piastri is fourth.
