Oscar Piastri takes lead in F1 championship battle after winning in Saudi Arabia

Oscar Piastri took the lead in the Formula 1 driver standings Sunday after he beat four-time world champion Max Verstappen in an intense race in Saudi Arabia.

Oscar Piastri took the lead in the Formula 1 driver standings Sunday after he beat four-time world champion Max Verstappen in an intense race in Saudi Arabia.

The win puts Piastri, 24, of Australia, on 99 points, leapfrogging fellow McLaren driver Lando Norris, who is now 10 points behind in second place. Verstappen, who drives for Red Bull Racing, is two more points behind in third place.

It is shaping up to be a close and exciting championship battle, as the racing returns to the United States in two weeks for a Grand Prix weekend in Miami. It is shaping up to be Verstappen’s most challenging title defense since he won his first trophy in 2021.

And Norris, who started the season as the betting-odds favorite to win the championship, has his work cut out for him as he admits he doesn’t feel in sync with the evolving McLaren car.

The race start Sunday proved crucial to the outcome. Verstappen started on pole position ahead of Piastri, but Piastri got a better launch and pulled alongside Verstappen on the inside into the first corner, prompting him to cut the chicane and keep the position. He was handed a 5-second time penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage, which is forbidden.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/formula-1/oscar-piastri-f1-championship-race-saudi-arabia-rcna202052

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