Oscar Piastri wins F1 Azerbaijan Grand Prix

Australian Oscar Piastri has won an epic Azerbaijan Grand Prix, the second win of his Formula 1 career.

The McLaren driver triumphed after an epic duel with Ferrari's Charles Leclerc.

Mercedes driver George Russell finished third following a penultimate lap crash between Ferrari's Carlos Sainz and Red Bull's Sergio Perez, who were battling for the final spot on the podium.

McLaren's Lando Norris finished fourth after starting the race in 15th, beating world championship leader Max Verstappen to fifth who struggled around the streets of Baku.

Norris has reduced Verstappen's advantage in the drivers' championship to 59 points with seven grands prix to race.

McLaren announced in the lead-up to the race that team orders would be in place to ensure Piastri worked for Norris, in his pursuit to the drivers' championship.

But after outclassing the Brit in Monza and qualifying on the front row, Piastri sent a clear message to McLaren that he is not a number-two driver in this team.

His race-winning move on lap 20 past Leclerc belied the Australian's inexperience.

"After the stop, I saw we were pretty close," Piastri said.

"I felt like we had a little bit of extra grip and I had to go for it, because I knew if I didn't get past at the start of the stint I was never going to get past.

"I went for a pretty big lunge then clung on for 35 laps. Goes down as one of my the better races of my career."

The result means McLaren move ahead of Red Bull to the top of the constructors' championship standings. It is the first time McLaren lead the constructors' championship in a decade.

"Considering where we started when I joined the team last year, we were literally last and now we are leading the championship,' Piastri said.

"It's a big thanks to the team for improving the car but improving myself as well."

Piastri started second next to pole sitter Charles Leclerc, who was on pole for the fourth consecutive year. 

Both starting on the medium tyres, the Ferrari was clearly the better of the two cars as Leclerc managed to secure a healthy advantage.

Ferrari's Charles Leclerc start on pole in Azerbaijan for the fourth straight year.

But once each car moved onto the hard-compound tyre the McLaren was clearly faster.

Piastri made his move on lap 20 with a lunge into the first corner and never relinquished the lead. 

Leclerc threatened to snatch the lead again for the next 31 laps, but the Australian remained cool in the Baku heat.

Perez and Sainz threatened to make it a four-way duel for the win but the duo crashed into each other on the penultimate lap, forcing the race to end under a safety car and allowing Russell to claim a fortunate, but well-earned podium.