Oscar Piastri's victory at the Azerbaijan GP in Baku was one of the most spectacular of the season and marked a pivotal moment in the race for the constructors' title, putting McLaren in the lead for the first time in over a decade. The young Australian driver managed to prevail after an intense battle with Charles Leclerc, demonstrating great skill and determination. However, the true background to his success was only revealed after the race: Piastri pointedly ignored the team's orders, relying on his instincts to take the victory.
The risk paid off and, thanks to his bold choice, Piastri gave McLaren another key victory. This seemingly rash decision brought out the fighting nature of the young driver, who was able to keep calm and defend his lead on one of the most demanding tracks of the championship.
Plates, the decisive overtaking and the calculated risk for the victory in the Baku GP
From the start of the race, Piastri stood out, holding off Leclerc's Ferrari. But his initial aggression came at a price: over-use of the medium tyres saw him lose nearly six seconds to the leader before his pit stop on lap 16. In the pits, his engineer Tom Stallard gave a clear directive: to manage the hard tyres with caution for the rest of the race. However, once back on track, Piastri chose to ignore the team's advice, seeing an opportunity to pass Leclerc and take the lead.
“They told me not to repeat the mistake of the first stint,” Piastri admitted after the race. “But I completely ignored the advice and attacked Leclerc on the inside at Turn 1. That was the move that allowed me to win the race.” The pass on lap 20 put Piastri in the lead, but he knew that holding the position for the next 30 laps would be an even tougher challenge.
A perfect defense under pressure
With Leclerc constantly glued to his slipstream, Piastri had to manage one of the most intense defenses of the season. The Ferrari driver attempted numerous attacks, trying to pass him in several corners, but Piastri remained calm, masterfully defending his position. “I knew that taking the lead was only 40% of the job,” Piastri explained, “but maintaining the lead would be 60%.”
Leclerc's pressure was relentless, but Piastri was able to exploit his rival's weaknesses, forcing him to attempt risky overtaking on the outside and forcing him to wear out his tyres. With three laps to go, Leclerc's tyres collapsed, giving Piastri the breathing space he needed to take home the win.
Source statements: PlanetF1
