McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri (L) walks in the pits after crashing during a qualifying session of the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix at the Baku City Circuit in Baku on September 20, 2025. (Photo by Anton Vaganov / POOL / AFP)
Baku: World drivers' championship leader Oscar Piastri crashed out of Sunday's Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the opening lap after being stranded on the grid following a false start.
He fell to last and then began his chase, but lost control at Turn Five and hit the wall after locking up at Turn Six. He was unhurt.
It was the 24-year-old Australian's first non-points-scoring finish this year and brought to an end a 34-race scoring streak.
McLaren began the race seeking to clinch a second consecutive constructors' championship, needing to outscore Ferrari by nine points, while Piastri led team-mate Lando Norris by 31 points.
Norris started from seventh on the grid, two places ahead of Piastri, and was eighth when a Safety Car was deployed following Piastri's crash.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen started from pole position and after making a clean start led ahead of Williams Carlos Sainz and Racing Bulls' rookie Liam Lawson after four laps.
