Piastri's Baku triumph: a glimpse at a future F1 champion

Red Bull Racing/Red Bull Content Pool

BAKU, Azerbaijan -- Oscar Piastri masterfully balanced aggression and precision to overcome Charles Leclerc, who is widely considered one of the fastest drivers navigating the treacherous barriers of the Baku street circuit.

The decisive moment came on Lap 20, when Piastri executed a flawless overtake on Leclerc. However, his subsequent defence of the lead for the next 31 laps was arguably even more impressive. Amid the immense pressure within the 23-year-old’s cockpit, Piastri navigated his McLaren with millimetre-perfect precision, warding off every attempt Leclerc made to reclaim the front spot.

Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, Piastri's potential was unquestioned, but his previous messy maiden victory in Hungary (complicated by McLaren's pit strategy) left room for doubt. Sunday's commanding drive, however, provided a more fitting and indisputable display of his formidable talent.

Support from Norris

Leading up to the race, McLaren had decided to prioritize Lando Norris in racing situations involving the two drivers. Piastri accepted his role as the de facto No. 2 driver during Thursday’s media day but was determined to circumvent any difficult team orders by creating as much distance as possible between himself and Norris. This task became unexpectedly easier when a poorly timed yellow flag in qualifying forced Norris to abort his Q1 lap, resulting in him starting 15th on the grid.

McLaren found themselves in a delicate position, hoping for just enough Baku chaos to help Norris climb the ranks without jeopardizing Piastri's promising shot at victory. Remarkably, they achieved both.

Ironically, it was Norris who ended up aiding Piastri's win. When Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez pitted early on Lap 13, he gained the performance edge of fresher tyres, posing a real threat to Piastri. As Pérez's tyres warmed up and Piastri stayed out to mirror Leclerc’s strategy, the likelihood of Pérez snatching second place grew. However, Pérez re-entered the track behind Norris, who was on an alternative strategy. On Lap 15, Norris was instructed to slow Pérez down intentionally, giving Piastri the time he needed to change tyres and come back out ahead.

"That message was because Pérez was undercutting," McLaren team principal Andrea Stella explained post-race. "Effectively, without Lando's help, Pérez would have pitted ahead of Oscar and the race would have unfolded in a completely different way, so I think 50% of Oscar's victory today was shared with Lando."

"It just shows we are approaching racing as one team, and we had conversations before the weekend where we would bias one way or the other, but for us, we approach every weekend ... trying to maximize the result for the team. If one driver needs help, we will do it and the other driver will do it."

Piastri’s strategic pit stop, one lap before Leclerc, also contributed significantly to his victory. By the time Leclerc exited the pits, his mirrors were filled with Piastri’s McLaren, sealing the Australian's extraordinary win and showcasing his burgeoning promise as a future Formula 1 champion.

Acting on instinct

Pre-pit stop dynamics

Before the pit stops, Charles Leclerc seemed to be comfortably leading the race with a six-second advantage over Oscar Piastri. Piastri, struggling with tyre degradation, was likely suffering due to his attempts to keep pace with Leclerc from the beginning of the race.

Entering the second stint, Piastri's race engineer, Tom Stallard, advised him to avoid the same mistakes and to play a longer game strategy. Ignoring this advice, Piastri took a calculated risk.

"I felt a bit sorry for my race engineer because I basically tried to attack Charles in the first stint and completely cooked my tyres,” Piastri recalled. “So my engineer came on the radio and said, ‘Let's not do that again,’ and I completely ignored him the next lap and sent it down the inside of Leclerc."

Despite the risk, Piastri believed the opportunity to overtake Leclerc would not present itself again, prompting him to act on his instincts and seize the moment.

“Had I stayed back, I felt like waiting for Charles to suffer from tyre degradation was never going to happen. That would have secured P2 at most," Piastri explained. "I had a similar opportunity in the first stint but didn’t capitalize. When the chance arose after the pit stop, I knew I had to take it. I managed to make the corner and wouldn't be here today without that high-risk move."

Piastri's decision to defy his engineer defined his drive, showcasing his ability to perform under high pressure, a trait common among F1’s elite.

“If I hadn’t taken that opportunity, I think I would never have had another one. Credit to Charles for being fair; perhaps he thought I would overshoot the turn, but I managed to surprise even myself by making the corner.”

Andrea Stella, McLaren's team principal, was highly impressed by Piastri’s precision during the overtake.

"When I saw him diving inside, my instinct said he’s going to overshoot. But Oscar executed with such precision, especially on the apex kerb in Turn 1. It's a testament to his immense talent and ability."

Leclerc’s reaction, or lack thereof, was rooted in his belief that he could reclaim the position later. However, the opportunity never resurfaced due to Ferrari’s slower straight-line speed.

“When Oscar overtook me into Turn 1, I wasn't too worried. My plan was to stay within DRS, conserve tyres, and make a late-race move,” Leclerc admitted. “But that chance never came because we were too slow on the straights. My misjudgment cost me dearly.”

A defensive masterclass

From laps 29 through 45, despite several attempts by Leclerc to reclaim the lead, Piastri's superior straight-line speed defense held strong. The McLaren car's reduced downforce provided a crucial advantage.

"I was risking it through the castle section to widen the gap from Leclerc from Turn 7 onwards. I had some close calls, but I needed to be fast, and a good exit from the last corner was crucial," Piastri recounted.

As Leclerc's tyres deteriorated, Piastri managed to pull ahead, especially as chaos unfolded behind him with a crash between Pérez and Sainz. The victory was a testament to Piastri's ability to handle immense pressure, an impressive feat for a driver in his second F1 season.

“Oscar demonstrated exceptional mental strength today," Stella stated. "He drove like a seasoned driver, consistently precise and controlled even under intense pressure. His brilliant drive today shows he’s a phenomenal talent."

Piastri’s high-risk move proved pivotal, showcasing both his instinct and precision, earning him one of the hardest-fought victories of the season.

McLaren has taken the lead in the constructors' championship, and their recent win has helped them move 20 points clear of Red Bull. This achievement is particularly remarkable given that McLaren started the 2023 season at the bottom of the standings. Team Principal Stella expressed his pride but also emphasized the need for continuous improvement and focus on execution at each event:

"Leading the championship is definitely huge because we don't have to forget at the start of 2023 we were last ... and now we lead the classification," Stella said. "At the same time, which is my way of going racing and the way that I would like the team to go racing, this second is already over. We don't look at the classification, we just look at executing at every single event, delivering the upgrades that we still plan to take to some of the future races, because the car as a matter of fact is still not fast enough."

The performance equation

Despite the current standings, Stella noted that McLaren's car is not consistently the fastest on the grid:

"I often hear that McLaren is the best car, but this is not in the numbers. I think in the numbers, McLaren is the best car at some kinds of circuit, like Barcelona, Hungary, Zandvoort, for good technical reasons, but here I don't think McLaren enjoyed any advantage over Ferrari, and I think not even over Red Bull."

He attributed their success to excellent execution by both the drivers and the team:

"I think the execution by the drivers and by the team is just what makes the difference."

Drivers' standings

Regarding the drivers' standings, Norris managed to close the gap to Verstappen by three points, while Piastri is now just 32 points behind Norris. Stella emphasized a balanced approach and flexibility concerning the team's driver strategy:

"I think I said already that we have two No. 1 drivers, effectively. Having two No. 1 drivers mean we approach things first of all in the interest of the team, and the interest of the team is to win the constructors' championship and also the drivers' championship."

Norris, who had been the team's favored driver, played a key role in supporting Piastri in the last race:

"Lando was in the most favourable position before Baku, I think he still is in the most favourable position now, so naturally we would have supported Lando. But I think we have evidence today that actually, interestingly, it was Lando supporting Oscar and enabling Oscar's victory thanks to driving for the team and driving to support his teammate."

While Norris may still get priority in 50/50 decisions next weekend in Singapore, Piastri's recent performance makes a compelling case for flexibility in the team's strategy going forward. His victory in Baku signifies his potential as a future champion.

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