Piastri back on form with front‑row charge in Baku

Oscar Piastri returned to the spotlight in Azerbaijan with a strong third place in qualifying, securing his best grid position since Japan and outpacing teammate Lando Norris. After a difficult start to the weekend, the McLaren driver found pace when it mattered, finishing behind George Russell and Charles Leclerc. Speaking to Sky Sport F1, Piastri said the team had anticipated a significant improvement and was pleased with the turnaround.

Looking ahead to the race, Piastri expects Ferrari and Red Bull to be the main threats, though he admitted surprise at Max Verstappen’s eighth‑place result after showing impressive speed on Friday. He also noted Mercedes’ strength around Baku, adding that McLaren’s race pace appears competitive enough to challenge. Confident but cautious, Piastri believes there is still more performance to unlock as he aims to convert his strong qualifying into a meaningful result today.