P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Oscar Piastri crashes out of Azerbaijan GP qualifying in major F1 title race twist
The 2025 F1 title race has become more unpredictable due to Oscar Piastri’s crash in qualifying at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, where he ended his session prematurely by locking up and crashing his McLaren at Turn 3. This incident marked the sixth red flag stoppage of the qualifying session on Saturday. The outcome of this crash could be a pivotal moment in this year’s battle for the drivers’ championship, especially considering there is only a 31-point gap between Piastri and his McLaren teammate Lando Norris heading into the weekend. Piastri will start Sunday’s race in Azerbaijan from no higher than ninth on the grid, reflecting a rare mistake from the F1 world championship leader since the season began. The qualifying session in Baku was indeed chaotic, with a total of six red flag stoppages, including incidents involving Williams’ Alex Albon, Nico Hulkenberg, Franco Colapinto, and Oliver Bearman. Despite the challenges, the excitement continued with Charles Leclerc locking up heavily at Turn 16 in Q3.
