2024 F1 Round 17 — Azerbaijan Grand Prix race: Piastri wins, Perez and Sainz collide and retire with two laps left, McLaren take constructors' lead

The 2024 F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix concluded at the Baku City Circuit on the evening of September 15 (China Standard Time, UTC+8). Piastri crossed the line first in 1:32:58.007, claiming his second victory of the season in a race that finished under the virtual safety car, with Leclerc and Russell second and third. Yuki Tsunoda was hit from behind on the opening lap, damaging his car, and retired after completing just 14 laps.

The 51-lap race reached its climax in the final six laps, as the top four drivers battled within a three-second window. With two laps remaining, Perez, running third, launched a fierce attack on Leclerc at Turn 1. As his rival defended resolutely, however, Sainz seized the opportunity to take third from him. The Mexican immediately counter-attacked on the inside at Turn 2, and as the cars headed towards Turn 3 partly alongside one another, the Red Bull’s right front made contact with the Ferrari’s left rear. Both cars hit the barriers at high speed and retired. The virtual safety car was immediately deployed, freezing the race order. Perez, who had been in contention for a return to the podium at Baku, a circuit where he excels, was highly emotional, and the two drivers involved gave conflicting accounts after the race.

Polesitter Leclerc failed to convert a Baku pole into victory for the fourth consecutive year. Piastri made the winning pass at Turn 1 on lap 20; Leclerc attacked relentlessly thereafter but never found another opening, settling for second, 10.910 seconds behind. Russell also came through a scare on his way to third: early in the race, he reported that a plastic bag might have blocked an air intake, but fortunately it proved to be a false alarm.

Norris delivered a textbook recovery drive from 15th on the grid. McLaren put him on an alternative strategy, starting on hard tyres rather than following the majority. He overtook Bearman on lap 8 to break into the top ten, then passed championship leader Verstappen on the third-to-last lap to move into sixth. He benefited from the collision between Perez and Sainz to rise to fourth, also earning an extra point for the fastest lap of the race. The result put McLaren top of the constructors’ standings, 20 points ahead of Red Bull.

Verstappen’s rhythm after his first pit stop was disrupted by Albon and Norris, who were on different strategies, and he gradually lost touch with the group ahead. During the race, he repeatedly complained that “the brakes are no good” and “the rear tyres have absolutely no grip”, and he was also passed by Russell on lap 34. Late in the race, he pitted to change tyres and chase the fastest lap, only for the virtual safety car triggered by his teammate to deny him the opportunity. As Red Bull lost the lead of the constructors’ standings, Verstappen’s advantage in the drivers’ championship also shrank, leaving gloom hanging over the defending champions’ camp.

Yuki Tsunoda’s weekend ended in the worst possible way. He was rear-ended by Stroll on the opening lap, leaving a large hole in his right sidepod. With his car damaged, he fell steadily back and returned to the pits to retire after completing just 14 laps. Stroll, who caused the collision and suffered a puncture, never recovered after an unscheduled stop and also retired on lap 45. Alonso finished sixth, with Albon and Colapinto seventh and eighth respectively, the latter scoring his first points in only his second Grand Prix. Hamilton, starting at the back of the field because of a power-unit failure, fought his way up to ninth, while Bearman, standing in for Magnussen, scored points again in tenth, edging out teammate Hulkenberg.

Gasly, whose qualifying result had been annulled, started from the back and ultimately finished 12th. Zhou Guanyu was 14th, while Ocon and Bottas both finished a lap down. In a week’s time, the championship will move on to Singapore’s Marina Bay Street Circuit, as the constructors’ title battle between Red Bull and McLaren continues to heat up.