Azerbaijan GP 2024
SEPTEMBER 15, 2024
Race Notes - Piastri wins in Azerbaijan
By Mark Karp
Oscar Piastri won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in his McLaren-Mercedes over pole sitter Charles Leclerc in his Ferrari in second, 10.910 seconds behind. George Russell in the Mercedes GP finished third, 31.328 seconds behind.
The win is Piastri’s second win of the season. McLaren now leads the Constructors Championship over Red Bull. It is the first Championship lead for McLaren since 2014.
After a late race crash between Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz, Lando Norris (36.143s), after starting 15th in his McLaren, finished fourth, and took the point for fastest lap, followed by Championship leader Max Verstappen (1m17.098s) in the Red Bull-Honda in fifth place, Fernando Alonso (1m25.468s) in the Aston Martin-Mercedes in sixth place, Alex Albon (1m27.396s) in the Williams-Mercedes finished seventh, his team mate Franco Colapinto (1m29.541s) finished eighth, the first points finish for an Argentine driver since Carlos Reutemann in 1982, Lewis Hamilton (1m32.401s), after starting from the pit lane, finished ninth, and Oliver Bearman (1m33.127s) in the Haas-Ferrari took the final point in tenth place.
Before the start teams were expecting a one-stop strategy, but with the high temperatures on Sunday the tyre degradation might require more stops through the race, and as there are always a chance of accidents and safety cars, the results of the race are always in question.
Leclerc starting from pole, with Piastri alongside on row 1, Sainz and Perez on row 2, Russell and Verstappen on row 3, Alonso and Colapinto on row 4, and Albon and Bearman rounding out the top ten, Norris out in Q1 will start from 15th.
Hamilton starting from the pit lane due to a Power Unit swap, Ocon also starting from pit lane, while Gasly was disqualified from qualifying for fuel flow discrepancies and will start 18th.
The top ten starting on medium tyres, except Albon on hard tyres. Norris starts on hard tyres.
At 3p local time the drivers took to the track for the formation lap, lined up on the grid, the lights went off and the race began with Leclerc taking the lead into turn 1, Perez getting up to third at turn 2.
Stroll has a puncture.
At the end of lap 1, Leclerc leads over Piastri, Perez, Sainz, Verstappen, Russel, Alonso, Colapinto, Albon, and Bearman in 10th, Norris up to 12th, Hamilton 17th.
On lap 3, Norris passes Tsunoda for 11th. Hamilton up to 16th.
On lap 3 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m48.412s.
Tsunoda is struggling with damage and is falling back.
On lap 4 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m48.408s, and leads Piastri by less than one second.
On lap 5 Piastri sets fast lap at 1m48.070s.
Hamilton is stuggling in 15th on his medium tyres.
On lap 6 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m48.052s.
On lap 8 Norris passes Bearman for tenth place.
Piastri is telling McLaren that his rear tyres are struggling, and Verstappen is complaining that his front tyres are locking up.
On lap 7 Leclerc sets fast lap at 1m47.672s.
At lap 10 Leclerc leads Piastri by 2.9 seconds, followed by Perez (4.3s), Sainz (7.1s), Verstappen (10.3s), Russell (14.4s), Alonso (18.4s), Colapinto (20.2s), and Norris in tenth.
Hulkenberg passes Bearman for tenth. Norris is in ninth.
On lap 11 Colapinto pits for hard tyres and rejoins 15th.
In lap 12 Alonso pits for hard tyres and rejoins 14th.
On lap 13 Verstappen pits for hard tyres, and Russell pits for hard tyres, and they rejoin tenth and 12th. Hamilton pits for hard tyres and rejoins 18th.
On lap 14 Perez pits from third for hard tyres and rejoin sixth.
Verstappen passes Ricciardo for ninth.
On lap 16 Russell passes Ricciardo and Gasly for ninth. Verstappen up to eighth.
On lap 17 Piastri pits from second for hard tyres and rejoins fourth. Norris helps hold up Perez to the advantage of Piastri.
Hulkenberg pits for hard tyres and rejoins 12th.
Tsunoda retires in the pits.
Leader Leclerc pits for hard tyres and rejoins second, Sainz leading.
Perez sets fast lap at 1m47140s.
On lap 18 Sainz pits from the lead for hard tyres and rejoins sixth.
Perez passes Albon for third place.
At lap 20 Leclerc leads Piastri by 0.8 seconds, followed by Perez (2.9s), Albon (5.1s), Norris (6.5s), Sainz (9.1s), Verstappen (9.5s), Russell (15.1s), Alonso (22.2s) and Colapinto (25.0s) in tenth, Hamilton 15th.
On lap 20 Piastri pases Leclerc for the lead.
Leclerc remains under one second behind Piastri. Leclerc complains he is struggling a bit.
Perez is just behind the top two.
Albon and Norris still yet to pit.
On lap 24 Sainz passes Albon for fourth. Norris and Verstappen are battling for sixth.
Piastri sets fast lap at 1m47.066s.
Verstappen is told there are issues with the temperates on his brakes.
Russell is closing on Verstappen in seventh.
On lap 29 Piastri is defense going into turn one.
At lap 30 Piastri leads over Leclerc by 0.5 seconds, followed by Perez (1.9s), Sainz (10.7s), Albon (21.8s), Norris (22.4s), Verstappen (23.5s), Russell (24.1s), Alonso (38.0s) and Colapinto (39.9s) in tenth place.
On lap 32 Albon pits from fifth for medium tyres and rejoins 11th.
On lap 33 Leclerc is close to Piastri, but can’t get by. Perez is complaining that something is wrong in the rear of his car.
On lap 34 Russell passes Verstappen for sixth.
McLaren tells Piastri that Leclerc’s rear tyres look worse than his, and front tyres look better.
On lap 36 Hulkenberg passes Colapinto for ninth. Colapinto lets Albon by for tenth.
On lap 38 Norris pits for his first stop for medium tyres and rejoins seventh.
Albon passes Hulkenberg for ninth.
At lap 40 Piastri leads Leclerc by 0.9 seconds, followed by Perez (2.9s), Sainz (6.3s), Russell (23.0s), Verstappen (24.5s), Norris (37.8s), Alonso (45.4s), Albon (47.8s), and Hulkenberg (49.9s) in tenth place.
Norris sets fast lap at 1m34.662s.
On lap 41 Hamilton passes Bearman for 12th.
On lap 42 Norris sets fast lap at 1m45.255s.
At lap 46, with five laps to go, Piastri leads Leclerc by 0.6 seconds, followed by Perez (1.8s), Sainz (3.6s), Russell (18.2s), Verstappen (21.5s), Norris (26.6s), Alonso (44.8s), Albon (46.2s) and Hulkenberg (51.6s) in tenth place.
Stroll retires in the pits.
On lap 47 Piastri has a 1.7 second lead. Perez is closing on Leclerc. Leclerc is complaining the his rear tyres are gone.
Norris is 0.5 seconds behind Verstappen.
On lap 49 Norris passes Verstappen for sixth.
On lap 50 Sainz and Perez try to pass Leclerc and the two crash. Verstappen pits. The Virtual safety car is out.
At the flag Piastri leads Leclerc, Russell, Norris, Verstappen, Alonso, Albon, Colapinto, Hamilton and Bearman in tenth.