Piastri's Baku Blunder: Title Hopes in Jeopardy

Oscar Piastri's early crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has put his Formula 1 title aspirations in jeopardy, creating an opportunity for his teammate Lando Norris to close the gap in the standings.

The McLaren driver suffered a setback right from the start, faltering at the line and subsequently dropping to the back of the field. His attempt to recover saw him crash into the barriers, marking his second accident in Baku after also crashing during qualifying.

Meanwhile, Lando Norris benefited from Piastri's misfortune, starting seventh after a tumultuous qualifying session. The incident poses a setback for McLaren's hopes in the constructors' championship, as Max Verstappen secured pole position for Red Bull.

(With inputs from agencies.)