Oscar Piastri crashed during Baku qualifying and will start P9 in the race. Photo: RacePictures.

Culprit behind Piastri's Baku crash revealed

16:39, 23 Sep

Updated: 18:30, 23 Sep

byNorberto Mujica

Anthony Davidson is of the opinion that Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg may have "goaded" McLaren's Oscar Piastri into race ending move. But the former F1 driver ultimately laid the blame on the Australian driver himself.

Nico Hulkenberg did not play a role in Oscar Piastri's crash, Anthony Davidson believes. Photo: RacePictures.

Sky F1’s Anthony Davidson pointed to Nico Hulkenberg’s part in the crash. The Sauber man ahead, according to Davidson, may have "goaded" Piastri into braking too late.

"He took it easy through Turn 2," Davidson explained. "But he was up to speed by the time you get to Turn 3, and getting past [Alex] Albon in the Williams straight away into that corner.

"And then he’s on the attack with [Pierre] Gasly on the right hand side as well. Picks up another position there, around the outside of Turn 4 he goes.

"Now he’s got the Hass there of [Esteban] Ocon and slots in behind him. This is where it all goes wrong, in Turn 5.

As Hulkenberg fancied a move around the outside of Ocon at Turn 5, Davidson believes this tipped Piastri to push his braking point further.

"He’s got Hulkenberg in front of him, trying to make a move around the outside of one of the Hass drivers, and I think, in a way, goads Piastri into thinking, ‘That’s where I brake.’ But Hulkenberg runs wide himself, very wide, actually.

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For a moment, Davidson seemed to get the reasoning behind his interpretation of Piastri's mistake.

"I think he’s just following in another driver that is also going quite deep, and you sort of judge the gap between yourself and the other car, and I think that’s what’s caught him out here.

“So I think if the car in front of him, Hulkenberg, had been a bit easier on the brakes, naturally, that would have made Oscar brake a bit earlier as well.”

Still, Davidson didn’t let the championship leader off the hook.

"But, giving him excuses there. The calibre that he is as a driver leading the World Championship, as difficult as this day is, you shouldn’t really be expecting mistakes like that when you’re at his level.

“So, really disappointing weekend.”

Azerbaijan GP goes sideways for McLaren and Piastri

For McLaren, it was a missed chance to seal the Constructors’. For Piastri, it’s his first major blunder of the season, and it comes just as Max Verstappen is seemingly bringing himself into contention for the title.

With seven races left, the gap that once looked safe is suddenly under threat.

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