Oscar Piastri showed promise early in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, but a mysterious lock-up at Turn 1 ruined his race. The McLaren driver had to settle for 14th after fighting at the front.
Starting from second, Piastri immediately challenged for the lead. On soft tyres, he held off pressure from Red Bull duo Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar, despite McLaren's straight-line speed deficit. "The first half of the race was very strong," Piastri told Sky Sports.
However, after the second Safety Car restart, disaster struck. While defending from Hadjar, Piastri locked both front tyres at Turn 1 and ran off into the run-off area. "I need to look at it because it certainly took me by surprise. I didn't think I braked super late or super hard. Just instantly locked both fronts," he explained.
The incident caused flat spots on his tyres, triggering severe vibrations for the rest of the race. McLaren also had to manage his brakes, leaving Piastri to finish only 14th. "A disappointing end to the day. We have nothing to show for it," he added.
Piastri also admitted frustration with Red Bull's straight-line speed. "It felt like you'd do a good lap, but you see the gaps on the dash being eaten away every lap down the straight. I was a sitting duck on the straights," he said.
This result completed a scoreless afternoon for McLaren, after Lando Norris was eliminated in a collision at Turn 1 following the second restart. Norris was caught in an incident with Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto, ending his race.
It marked McLaren's third scoreless grand prix of the season, the first time since 2023 they have gone three races without scoring points. Team principal Andrea Stella accepted responsibility, pointing to McLaren's lack of straight-line speed as a key weakness exposed in Baku.
For Piastri, it was a bitter blow after an impressive early showing. He will hope to bounce back in the next race and build on the positive momentum he briefly displayed.
Baca Juga
Oscar Piastri alami lock-up misterius di Grand Prix Azerbaijan, hilangkan peluang podium dan finis ke-14. McLaren gagal mencetak poin di Baku.
Isack Hadjar finis ketiga di GP Azerbaijan, radio timnya dengan Max Verstappen jadi viral karena sikap diplomatisnya. Simak kisah lengkapnya.
James Vowles puji kerja keras pabrik Williams setelah upgrade besar di F1 Azerbaijan. Meski hanya raih satu poin, semangat juang tetap tinggi.
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