Sun Sep 15 16:46:59 UTC 2024: ## McLaren’s Piastri Wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix with a Helping Hand from Teammate Norris

**Baku, Azerbaijan:** Oscar Piastri claimed his second career Formula 1 victory in a thrilling Azerbaijan Grand Prix, with crucial support from teammate Lando Norris.

The McLaren driver made a daring move on race leader Charles Leclerc on lap 20, taking the lead and holding on to secure the win. However, Piastri’s success was a team effort, with Norris playing a vital role in defending against a potential undercut by Sergio Perez.

After a strategic early pitstop, Perez emerged behind Norris. At his race engineer’s request, Norris held up Perez for two laps, allowing Piastri to pit and maintain his position ahead of the Red Bull.

“Without Lando’s help, Perez could have pitted and stayed ahead of Oscar, and the race could have unfolded in a completely different way,” stated McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella. “So, I think 50% of Oscar’s victory today is shared with Lando.”

Stella was initially worried about Piastri’s daring overtaking move on Leclerc, fearing it might end in disaster. “When I watched it live and I saw him going, my instinct said he’s going to go long,” he admitted. “But Oscar is always surprising us with his ability.”

This victory not only marked Piastri’s second win but also catapulted McLaren to the top of the constructors’ championship, a significant milestone for the team.

“As a milestone, it’s definitely huge,” said Stella. “Because we don’t have to forget that we were last when we started last season, and now we lead the classification.”

The win comes with a small price tag: McLaren was fined €5,000 for some of its crew members heading towards the parc fermé to celebrate before the race’s end. However, the team will surely be celebrating their dominant performance in Baku.

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