Red Bull is faltering, Max Verstappen is faltering. The worries about the world championship are getting bigger and bigger. Because rival McLaren, who can already look back on so much Formula 1 experience, is stronger than it has been for a long time.
Oscar Piastri wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in impressive fashion, while his teammate and World Championship challenger Lando Norris finishes fourth after a strong comeback from 15th place on the grid. McLaren is the team of the moment in Formula 1 – and now also the leader in the constructors’ championship. That’s what the international press is writing.
Australia
“The Age”: “Perfect drive stuns the F1 world: Piastri shows nerves of steel and wins the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Australian Formula 1 superstar Oscar Piastri showed a masterly driving performance in Baku and prevailed against Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc.”
Switzerland
“Tagesanzeiger”: “A bang – and the embarrassment for Red Bull is complete. Max Verstappen experiences a horrific race in Baku. It looks as if Sergio Pérez is about to step in, but then there’s a bang. The big winners are Oscar Piastri and McLaren.”
Austria
“Salzburger Nachrichten”: “‘Wrong’ McLaren driver wins in Baku. (…) Oscar Piastri, who was demoted to number two by his team before the race weekend, promptly celebrated his second win of the season on Sunday. Sergio Pérez and Carlos Sainz collided, Max Verstappen had a day to forget. (…) Formula 1 will continue to be highly exciting, spectacular and completely unpredictable in 2024.”
Great Britain
“Daily Mail”: “Oscar Piastri won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix in a pulsating race in the ‘wrong’ McLaren – a stunning victory for him and a vivid reminder of what might have been possible for Lando Norris. (…) Before the weekend, McLaren confirmed that Piastri would make way for his team-mate Lando Norris in the battle for the Drivers’ World Championship against Max Verstappen. But Piastri proved why he is considered a future world champion with an incredible performance, securing his second Grand Prix victory under the Baku sun.”
“Mirror”: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri help McLaren achieve what it hasn’t been able to do for ten years. (…) McLaren took pole position in the team championship, while Lando Norris kept his title hopes alive with a great comeback drive.”
“Independent”: “Oscar Piastri won the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on Sunday. Lando Norris recovered from his qualifying disaster by overtaking Max Verstappen late on, further reducing the Dutchman’s lead.”
France
“Le Parisien”: “Oscar Piastri follows up! After winning for the first time in his career on July 21 in Hungary, the McLaren driver won his second Grand Prix of 2024 on Sunday in the streets of Baku (Azerbaijan).”
Spain
“Mundo deportivo”: “They said he had what it takes to be a champion, he had everything to write many glorious pages in the future of Formula 1. And they were not wrong. Oscar Piastri, 23 years old and in his second season in Formula 1, is in the right place at the right time, has the best car on the grid and is shining after an enormous personal development since the start of the season.”
“As”: “It was a Sunday for the attentive in Azerbaijan, especially for Piastri, who kept his chances alive after the only tire change and surprised Leclerc from a distance with an overtaking maneuver that nobody expected.”
“Sport”: “The Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the 17th round of the 2024 World Championship, promised surprises and excitement. And expectations were more than fulfilled. Oscar Piastri was the big winner of the day and Lando Norris managed to minimize the damage after starting from the very back.”
Netherlands
“AD”: “Max Verstappen has lost three points again and there is no improvement in sight: ‘It’s getting tough’.”
Italy
Tuttosport: “Piastri wins in Baku and puts the ‘Papayas’ in the lead, while his teammate takes points from the world champion.”
“La Gazzetta dello Sport”: “Unbeatable Piastri. (…) The 23-year-old Australian from McLaren was officially admitted to the club of top Formula 1 drivers and won a really exciting and uncertain Azerbaijan Grand Prix in Baku.”
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
