McLaren's Oscar Piastri wins thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix after late crash drama

McLaren's Oscar Piastri held off pole-sitter Charles Leclerc's Ferrari for an epic Azerbaijan Grand Prix win on Sunday with Mercedes' George Russell in third.

Piastri's team-mate Lando Norris finished fourth to reduce championship leader Red Bull's Max Verstappen (fifth) lead to 59 points with seven races and three sprints to go.

There was late drama on the streets of Baku when Carlos Sainz (Ferrari) and Sergio Perez in the second Red Bull collided, the race ending under a virtual safety car.

Leclerc held the lead after his fourth successive pole in Baku until lap 20 when Piastri nipped past him.

A dogfight between the Australian and the man from Monaco ensued, with Piastri holding on to claim his second career win after Hungary in July.

Verstappen, who has not won now in seven races, leads the 2024 drivers standings on 313 points, with Norris who gained an extra point for the fastest lap on 254 ahead of next weekend's Singapore Grand Prix.

McLaren also overtook Red Bull in the constructor's championship title race.

- AFP