OSCAR PIASTRI’S title charge survived a first-lap crash at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix today without major damage as rival Lando Norris could finish only seventh.

A second crash of the weekend for Piastri ended his 34-race streak of finishing a Grand Prix within five corners and threw the door wide open for McLaren team-mate Norris to make major inroads into his championship lead.

But Norris started sluggishly and overtaking was at a premium during the 51-lap on Baku’s windy streets, meaning he could only take six points out of Piastri’s title lead which stands at 25 with seven rounds remaining.

Pole-sitter Max Verstappen breezed to a commanding lights-to-flag victory, blasting away from the line and winning by 14 seconds to claim successive victories and close within 69 points of Piastri.

George Russell clinched an impressive second for Mercedes from fifth on the grid and Carlos Sainz delivered Williams’s first podium since 2021.

Piastri started only ninth on the grid after also dumping his McLaren into the barriers in qualifying.

The Australian slipped to the back of the pack after initially moving before the lights went out — for which he was penalised by the stewards — before anti-stall kicked in on his car.

The 24-year-old then locked up badly on the way into turn five, careering nose-first into the wall.

Norris started only seventh after a scruffy final run in qualifying meant he failed to make the most of Piastri’s early exit.

The British driver lost a place to Isack Hadjar in the opening stages and was undone again as action resumed following the safety car triggered by Piastri’s crash.

Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc surged up the inside of Norris into turn one and that proved costly for the title hopeful and he was unable to threaten the Monegasque.

TV cameras cut to Piastri watching from the side of the track, while also keeping an eye on the action on his phone.

He would have swiftly seen Norris released into clean air when Leclerc pitted on lap 19 and McLaren told him they were extending his first stint.

Norris did not come in until lap 38 but a slow stop for the second race running did not help as he rejoined eighth – still behind Leclerc.

On much fresher tyres, Norris began to make his move. He blasted past Leclerc to move seventh with 10 laps to go and set his sights on Yuki Tsunoda.

But Norris could not find his way past the Japanese, who himself was stuck behind Liam Lawson ahead and had to settle for seventh.

Ferrari swapped Lewis Hamilton ahead of Leclerc to attack Norris, but he too could not make a move and came home eighth.

Russell, who has battled illness throughout the weekend, delivered a mighty first stint and came out ahead of Sainz — who started second — following the pit stops.

Kimi Antonelli took fourth for Mercedes.

It turned into a desperate weekend for McLaren, who could have clinched the constructors’ championship with a record seven races to spare.