Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri Reflect on Their Baku Duel with Mutual Respect

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After the intense battle in Baku, both Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri opened up about the challenging race where the McLaren driver ultimately came out on top in their gripping duel.

Leclerc had the advantage early, securing pole position for the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. However, he couldn’t capitalize on it for a second consecutive win, as Piastri seized the moment to clinch his second Formula 1 victory. The Ferrari driver initially pulled away, creating a solid gap before the pit stops.

Once the stops were completed, Piastri saw his opportunity. He made an assertive move into the first corner, a daring overtake that paid off. What followed was a relentless battle, with Piastri having to fend off Leclerc for more than half the race, as the Ferrari lurked close, especially on the long straight where DRS allowed for multiple chances to reclaim the lead.

Despite Leclerc's persistence, Piastri held firm, showing a resilient defensive drive. The wear on Leclerc’s tyres eventually caught up with him, allowing the McLaren driver to pull away and finish over 10 seconds ahead. Leclerc, gracious in defeat, acknowledged that the McLaren had the upper hand that day, giving credit to Piastri’s skill.

"They were stronger today and Oscar has done an incredible job in turn one - I saw him on my inside and I was not too stressed. I didn't want to defend like crazy because I still had cold tyres, so I didn't let him pass but probably made his life a little bit too easy, thinking that it would be possible then with DRS to overtake him again' He said

"But they were actually very fast in the straights and I never really had the opportunity again to overtake, so that was a bad decision from my side.”

For his part, Piastri didn’t believe the McLaren had the outright pace advantage but managed to out-strategize Ferrari. Reflecting on Leclerc’s early dominance, the young Australian highlighted the challenge of keeping him behind during the latter half of the race.

Piastri explained. "I don't necessarily think we're the fastest car on track today - you look at Charles' first stint, he was driving away pretty comfortably. I don't think I was the quickest car on track in the second stint either, but we had just enough in the right places to keep him behind."

With only a three-year age gap, Leclerc and Piastri are set to be fierce rivals for years to come, with both drivers vying for future world championships. Currently, Leclerc holds a narrow 13-point lead in the drivers’ standings, but their fight for third is heating up. Meanwhile, McLaren and Ferrari are also locked in a battle for supremacy in the constructors’ standings, though Red Bull continues to loom as the team to beat.