McLaren Baku nightmare: Championship leader crashes out on Lap 1

The Australian, who had a nightmare qualifying, witnessed his weekend plummet into a far worse outing, ramming into the barrier between turns five and six what appeared to be a replica of his qualifying crash.

The championship leader, who headed into the race with a 31-point lead over his teammate, jumped the start and subsequently stalled before sailing into the barriers as he attempted to recover his position.

Piastri’s incident prompted a safety car, with several drivers quickly opting for a pit stop. The crash for the championship leader will likely see his advantage cut down by both Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, who lead the chasing pack.

Piastri was also handed a five second penalty for his jump start – a penalty he is expected to serve at the next Grand Prix in Singapore.