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In the Driver’s Seat

Oscar Piastri’s move in Azerbaijan GP shows he is the real deal

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McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri (right) celebrating with teammate Lando Norris and the team after winning the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri (right) celebrating with teammate Lando Norris and the team after winning the Formula One Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

PHOTO: AFP

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Before the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, most of the paddock talk over the race weekend had been all about team orders at McLaren. What team boss Andrea Stella likes to call Papaya Rules, on account of the shade of orange used since 1968 by team founder Bruce McLaren, and more recently revived by uber-boss Zak Brown.

But, after Oscar Piastri smashed the opposition to win a gripping race and put McLaren into the lead in the constructors’ championship (which they have won eight times but haven’t headed since 2014), it was more a case of Papaya Ruled.

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