WHAT A WALL

'Silly' Oscar messes up as McLaren wait on title

- BY DANIEL MOXON

MAX VERSTAPPEN gave his faint title hopes a shot in the arm as McLaren's coronation was delayed.

They needed to outscore Ferrari by just nine points in Baku to seal the constructors’ title but suffered an immediate blow when Oscar Piastri crashed into a wall on the first lap (above).

Lando Norris finished where he started in seventh as he failed to capitalise on his teammate’ error.

Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclere were behind him as both Ferrari and McLaren took home six points.

And so the champagne remains on ice until the Singapore Grand Prix, at the earliest, next month.

It remains a formality that McLaren will secure their 10th team championship, though things remain tight in the drivers’ title race.