McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri reveals BIZARRE new drivers' championship

Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, McLaren, Hungary, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 Off The Track

McLaren F1 star reveals BIZARRE new drivers' championship

Piastri secured his second career win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Kevin McKenna

Tuesday 24 September 2024 10:57 Updated: 11:21

A McLaren Formula 1 star has revealed how defeat in a bizarre alternative drivers' world championship event brought him back down to earth following his heroics in Baku.

The British Formula 1 outfit enjoyed a sensational day at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, scoring 38 points to overhaul Red Bull at the top of the constructors' standings for the first time this season.

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Oscar Piastri clinched his second career victory with an inspired performance, finishing ahead of Charles Leclerc and George Russell, who was the lucky beneficiary of a late collision between Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez.

His team-mate Lando Norris, meanwhile, landed a surprise fourth-place finish as he fought back from 15th on the grid to take the chequered flag ahead of drivers' championship rival Max Verstappen.

The result ensured the Brit reduced the Dutchman's advantage to just 59 points going into the final seven races of the season.

Oscar Piastri secured his second F1 win at last weekend's Azerbaijan GP

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris are in a close fight for the drivers' title

Oscar Piastri 'humbled' by Mercedes rival

While a world drivers' title may be out of reach this season for Piastri, he is determined to lay down a marker going into 2025.

The Australian went into this weekend's Singapore Grand Prix as the form driver on the grid and put a poor qualifying in Marina Bay behind him to secure a podium finish in the race.

However, before attention turned to the race in Singapore, the 23-year-old reflected on his Baku success in a press conference.

Piastri's previous victory came at the Hungarian GP in July

When quizzed on whether he had found time to celebrate following his superb drive, he issued a surprising response.

“No," Piastri responded. "I got humbled very quickly the next day by George actually playing an UNO world championship on the plane,"

"So I got brought back down to earth very quickly.”

It's the second time in as many victories that the McLaren driver's post-race celebrations have come under the spotlight, having honoured his maiden career victory at this season Hungarian GP with a game of Monopoly.

Who knows, perhaps if the Aussie scores another victory before the season is over, the Scrabble tiles might make an appearance.

Red Bull Lewis Hamilton McLaren Formula 1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix