Oscar Piastri’s Joke About Charles Leclerc Backfires With Azerbaijan GP Crash

Oscar Piastri’s Azerbaijan GP got off to a jaw dropping start both on and off the track. Just a day after teasing Charles Leclerc about his qualifying crash, the McLaren driver found himself in an almost identical situation during the race. 

Before the race began, Piastri reportedly told Leclerc, referencing his wall hit in qualifying, “I saw you in the wall and I was like, eh, that’s a good idea,” The comment drew laughter across the paddock, showing Piastri’s playful side. But in a twist nobody saw coming, the joke quickly turned into reality. 

On the opening lap, Piastri lost control at turn 5, looking up and smashing straight into the barriers. The crash immediately ended his race and marked the end of his streak of finishing GP. It was a stunning reversal for a driver who had been dominating headlines for his consistency and composure. 

McLaren confirmed that Piastri is unharmed, but the team is left to deal with the fallout from a champion-shaking first-lap retirement.