Piastri Faces Qualifying Challenge as McLaren Drivers Near Azerbaijan GP Penalties

Oscar Piastri faced a challenging Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend after crashing in qualifying, which relegated him to ninth on the grid and ended his streak of finishing every race. His McLaren teammate Lando Norris also had a difficult qualifying session, starting seventh after clipping a barrier, limiting his ability to close the 31-point gap to Piastri in the championship. Despite the setbacks, Max Verstappen secured pole position and won the race convincingly, reducing his championship deficit to Piastri. Both McLaren drivers acknowledged their mistakes in qualifying, with Piastri admitting he tried too hard at a critical corner and Norris attributing his performance to challenging conditions and strategic decisions. Compounding the pressure, both Norris and Piastri are near the limit for power unit component usage, risking significant grid penalties in upcoming races. The intense intra-team rivalry and technical challenges set the stage for a strategic and competitive battle as the championship enters its final third.