Perez, Sainz crash in dying moments of Azerbaijan F1 race
The Azerbaijan Grand Prix in the 2024 Formula 1 season witnessed a dramatic turn of events as Red Bull Racing's Sergio Perez and Scuderia Ferrari's Carlos Sainz collided in the closing stages. The incident occurred after a long straight in Baku with just two laps to go. At the time of the accident, both drivers were competing for third place but ended up without scoring any points due to their damaged cars. Here are further details.
The crash: A detailed look
The collision was triggered when Perez, overtaken by Sainz earlier, attempted an inside turn to regain his position. As Perez's Red Bull gained traction and made a slight adjustment to the right, it clipped Sainz's left rear tire. This contact caused the Ferrari to veer off course and crash into the barriers alongside Perez's car. The incident left both vehicles severely damaged and out of the race.
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Race results and standings after the crash
Despite the dramatic crash, Oscar Piastri emerged victorious in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, propelling McLaren to the top of the Constructor Standings. Ferrari's Charles Leclerc secured second place while George Russell inherited third for Mercedes following the Sainz-Perez collision. Red Bull's Max Verstappen finished fifth behind his closest title rival Lando Norris from McLaren who clinched fourth position with an extra point for fastest lap.
McLaren lead Red Bull by 20 points
McLaren's first and fourth place finishes at the 2024 Azerbaijan GP have taken them to top of the Constructor Standings. McLaren own 476 points, going ahead of Red Bull Racing (456). Verstappen's 5th position and Perez being forced to retire, dampened Red Bull's mood. Meanwhile, Scuderia Ferrari with 425 points are closing in on Red Bull. Mercedes are fourth with 309 points.
Piastri notches his 6th podium finish this season
Piastri notched his 6th podium finish this season and eight overall. He owns two race wins with both of them coming this year (also Hungarian GP). Leclerc finished second after having won the 2024 Italian GP. He clinched his 39th podium finish, including 9 this season. Leclerc also owns two race wins this season. Meanwhile, George Russell collected his 3rd podium finish this season.
