Piastri wins in Baku as McLaren tops Constructors’ standings

Oscar Piastri clinched a stunning victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, continuing McLaren’s string of successes this season. Sunday’s win was quite significant as it saw the team lead the Constructors’ Standings for the first time since 2014. Piastri’s win, achieved after an intense battle with Charles Leclerc, showed how he could keep calm and execute, even when under intense pressure. 

The Australian driver executed a daring overtaking maneuver that secured his position at the front, ultimately finishing ahead of Leclerc and Mercedes driver George Russell. Lando Norris finished fourth, just one position ahead of Max Verstappen, after starting the race from P15.  

The team’s performance has been impressive, with both drivers consistently finishing in the top ranks, significantly contributing to their Constructors’ standings. The latest update has also solidified their position as the true contenders for the title this season if it was not obvious enough before. 

It was another day for Norris to try to close the gap between him and Verstappen. After the race, Norris reduced his deficit to Verstappen to 59 points, from 62, and there is every sign that the gap could reduce further with each remaining race. 

Although McLaren announced during the week that they would be prioritizing Norris’ bid for a world championship title, the race on Sunday was Piastri’s to win, and he made the most of his odds. After starting behind Leclerc, Piastri took over the lead position after pitting and maintained it till the end of the race. 

Meanwhile, Red Bull continues to suffer, with Sergio Perez almost missing in action. Although Verstappen has not won a race in a while, he continues to outperform Perez by a significant margin, gaining the most points for the team. The team’s quest for a consecutive third Constructors’ title may just have ended, and there’s great doubt they would win the world championship this time around.