Behind MCLAREN’S DISASTER at the AZERBAIJAN GP!

In this write-up I want to take you behind the scenes of one of McLaren’s worst weekends of the season at the 2025 Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The story isn’t just about on-track mistakes — it’s about how a seemingly small crash turned into a logistical headache, how team celebrations unfolded in Parc fermé, and the colourful oddities that only paddock life can deliver. Below I break down exactly what happened, how Oscar Piastri ended up stranded trackside, how he eventually made it back, and a handful of race-day scenes that the TV coverage either skimmed or didn’t show at all.

Quick outline

• McLaren’s disappointing result and the context
• Oscar Piastri’s crash at Turn 5 and why he was stranded
• How Oscar got back to the paddock
• Lando Norris’ weekend and team impact
• Parc fermé celebrations — Carlos Sainz’s podium and the fire extinguisher story
• Red Bull celebrations, wind problems and other paddock anecdotes (cats, the anthem, security)
• Conclusions and what this means for McLaren
• FAQ

McLaren’s low point in Baku — what went wrong

On paper, McLaren’s score from the Azerbaijan race was stark: just 6 points, their lowest tally of the season so far. For a team that has looked strong at multiple events, two separate incidents — Oscar Piastri’s first-lap crash and Lando Norris being unable to finish better than he started — combined to make this weekend feel like a disaster.

It’s worth remembering that the team’s prior worst result was 12 points (Canada, when a collision ruled one car out), which shows how unusually poor this weekend was for them. Mistakes happen in Formula 1, but what made this stint in Baku notable wasn’t only the on-track errors — it was how those errors manifested into odd, off-track complications.

Oscar Piastri’s mystery crash at Turn 5

Oscar’s crash at Turn 5 was out of character. He’d made a rare mistake in qualifying and then repeated a similar error on race day, camping his car near Turn 5. The impact itself wasn’t heavy — there wasn’t a medical car called — but the location of the car and local circuit logistics made his situation unexpectedly complicated.

Marshals directed Oscar to sit on a chair in the moat — a narrow area between the track fence and spectator fencing — and that’s where he spent much of the race. It may look simple on TV, but in a street circuit like Baku, the moat doesn’t provide an easy path back to the paddock. At some point he’d have to exit the secured track and walk through city streets to get home.

Why he couldn’t just walk back along the track

The moat exists for safety and marshal access. It’s not part of the circuit that race operations regularly traverse with teams. Critically, the FIA’s standard recovery teams and medical crews don’t typically operate from that section during live race conditions — they don’t tend to shepherd drivers back from every moat location. That left the responsibility to local marshals and the media on the ground, who understood how awkward the access would be.

The improbable walk back — how Oscar made it to the paddock

Here’s the route he actually took. Around lap 17, a TV shot showed Oscar sitting on that chair. Back in the paddock, his press officer Sophie and his security guard realised he was stranded. The FIA hadn’t prioritised getting him; they didn’t normally go to that section. So a plan formed: walk him back through the city.

Florent Gooden (DPPI) captured the moment he left. Oscar walked with a marshal out of the moat gates and began what was, essentially, a public stroll through Baku — past empty streets, through a pedestrian underpass beneath the track, by the Lamborghini dealership, and then into the paddock through a less-congested gate near the Hilton. For the public, seeing an F1 driver in his kit walking through the city must have been surreal.

It was roughly a 12–14 minute walk for Oscar, and probably a 30-minute round trip for his security guard who had to coordinate getting to the scene, persuading marshals to let him into the moat (he didn’t initially have a tabard), and shepherding Oscar back. They bypassed the usual swipe gates and made a beeline for the media pen so Oscar could answer questions — a rather unconventional return to the paddock.

Lando Norris — quiet but damaging weekend

While Oscar’s crash drew headlines, Lando’s weekend didn’t deliver the recovery McLaren needed. He failed to finish higher than his starting placement, and when combined with Oscar’s DNF, that left McLaren with their lowest score of the season. Team morale was tested; small mistakes and uncharacteristic errors can compound quickly in championship terms.

Parc fermé celebrations — Carlos Sainz’s podium and the ‘fire extinguisher’ gag

On a brighter note for other teams, Carlos Sainz enjoyed his first podium with his new team — earlier than some expected. His post-press conference celebration in parc fermé was a proper release valve for the team. There was laughter, champagne and a quirky inside joke: a fire extinguisher used as a mock-champagne bottle.

That prop goes back to Bahrain 2024 where, in the absence of champagne, someone grabbed a fire extinguisher to mimic the usual spray. It’s become a running gag for that crew, and at Baku it reappeared in the team photo. The atmosphere was joyful: hugs, photos, and the customary soaking of team members and engineers — even team principal James Vowles got wet.

One small detail warmed me: a sticker designed by a young fan, Thea, appeared on the back of Carlos’s helmet and even on his trophy. Little moments like that — fan art becoming part of a winner’s trophy — are the kind of human touches that make racing special.

Red Bull celebrations, guests and a windy weekend

Max Verstappen’s performance was masterful and the Red Bull party followed the pattern you’d expect — boisterous, joyful, and soaked in the odd bit of chaos that comes with pit-lane celebrations. There was a nice family moment too: two women in the mix who were revealed to be Yuki’s mother and sister — and in the crowd, Max’s grandmother and auntie. The melee of celebration meant people were moved around quickly, and their timing got them out ahead of the champagne spray.

Wind played a role all weekend. Umbrellas went over in a gust; signage had to be rolled up because it acted like a sail; and in parc fermé one of the wheeled 1-2-3 podium boxes took off in a surprisingly brisk breeze before being caught. Wind and street circuits are an odd flavour of unpredictability most races don’t have to fight.

Paddock oddities: cats, anthem moments and security slip-ups

If you love paddock life, Baku served up plenty of that. There are a lot of stray cats in the city — they wander into the paddock and occasionally even onto the track. I had three of my top four social posts this weekend featuring cats, and those two big posts reached almost 2 million views combined. The fans clearly love them.

The national anthem was another delightful moment. Shooting it front-on, I watched drivers trying not to laugh as kids in the crowd belted the anthem out with such gusto that even the usually stoic faces cracked into smiles. And a reminder from security: trying to sneak into the media pen will likely get you booted — a woman attempting to slip under the barrier was removed along with her husband and daughter after her pass was inspected.

Conclusions — what this weekend means for McLaren

McLaren’s weekend in Baku was painful: a low points haul, unforced errors, and a public logistics oddity that left one of their drivers literally walking back to the paddock. The key takeaways for the team are straightforward: tighten up consistency, make sure recovery procedures for marooned drivers are clearer (especially on street circuits), and minimize the cascade of small problems that together create a bad weekend.

For fans and followers, the event was a reminder that F1 is always more than what you see on TV. Off-track moments — emotional team celebrations, quirky props, family appearances, and the odd city-cat cameo — make every race unique. Baku delivered drama on multiple fronts, and while McLaren will be unhappy with the scorecard, the wider paddock provided moments worth remembering.

FAQ

Q: Why was Oscar Piastri left sitting trackside?

A: His crash at Turn 5 was not a heavy impact, so the medical car wasn’t dispatched. The location of the car placed him in a moat area that isn’t regularly serviced by FIA recovery teams, and initial communications between marshals, the FIA and the team didn’t immediately coordinate a retrieval. That resulted in him waiting until his security and marshals could arrange a walk back through public streets.

Q: How long did it take Oscar to get back to the paddock?

A: The walk itself was roughly 12–14 minutes for Oscar. Coordinating the security guard and gaining access through marshals likely made it a 30-minute round trip for the security team member.

Q: Did the team face any penalties for Oscar walking through public areas?

A: No penalties were levied for the walk. It was a pragmatic response to a unique street-circuit situation, handled with local marshal assistance and the team’s own staff.

Q: What was the fire extinguisher gag during Carlos Sainz’s celebration?

A: It started in Bahrain 2024 when the crew couldn’t find champagne and used a fire extinguisher as a stand-in for spraying. It’s become a playful inside joke and resurfaced during Carlos’ celebration in parc fermé.

Q: Could similar incidents happen at other street circuits?

A: Yes. Street circuits have unique access and security configurations; drivers stranded in moats or awkward corners may occasionally require alternative retrieval plans. Learning from events like Baku helps teams and officials refine procedures.