Oscar Piastri admits he was completely taken “by surprise” by the sudden double lock-up that turned a potential podium finish in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix into another painful disappointment.
The Australian had looked every inch a podium contender around Baku’s unforgiving streets. From a strong start to the race, Piastri immediately made his intentions clear, sweeping past Charles Leclerc for second at Turn 1 before settling into a tense battle with the Red Bulls.
He managed to keep Max Verstappen and Isack Hadjar at bay during the opening phase and remained second when the first Safety Car interruption created an opportunity to pit. But once racing resumed, Verstappen eventually found a way through, leaving Piastri running third.
Then came another Safety Car, triggered by Lando Norris’ crash at the opening corner, giving Piastri another chance to regroup. Instead, the restart set up the moment that would wreck his race.
A podium disappears in an instant
Hadjar was applying pressure behind, and although Piastri initially managed to fend off the Frenchman, he was forced onto the defensive one lap later heading into Turn 1.
What followed was the kind of mistake that can instantly erase an afternoon's work. Piastri locked both front tyres, ran into the escape area and emerged with his race effectively destroyed, eventually crossing the line in a miserable P14.
“Just disappointed. Obviously I think the first stint and the first half of the race was very encouraging and then from there on, it kind of unravelled,” said Piastri.
“The lock-up I need to understand what happened because it certainly took me by surprise. I need to go and have a look, but obviously very disappointing not to have a result at the end.”
For a driver who had spent much of the race fighting at the sharp end, the sudden collapse was particularly difficult to swallow.
What had looked like another hard-earned podium challenge instead ended with McLaren leaving Baku without a single point.
Plenty to salvage, but no reward
The result adds another frustrating chapter to Piastri’s 2026 campaign. His season has produced only two podium finishes so far, with his most recent coming in Miami back in May, while team-mate Norris has collected two victories in the past five races.
Yet Piastri was reluctant to dismiss the weekend altogether. Beneath the disappointment of a scoreless Sunday, he felt McLaren had made meaningful progress in Baku and that his own confidence with the car had improved.
“I think once the dust settles there will be a lot of positives from this weekend,” he said.
“I think qualifying yesterday was good, I think in general I felt much more comfortable, well maybe not more comfortable but I've had more direction on what I need to do with the car.
“There's plenty of positives it just hurts obviously when you don't have any points or a trophy at the end.”
For the Aussie, the pace was there, the fight for the podium was real and the McLaren had put itself in position to capitalize.
But around Baku, where the smallest error can carry an enormous price, Piastri’s sudden lock-up ensured that all the promise would leave the circuit without a reward.
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