WATCH: Charles Leclerc's viral reaction to Oscar Piastri's iconic overtake on him in Baku

In one of the most thrilling battles of the 2024 Formula 1 season, Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc delivered a masterclass in clean, hard racing at the Baku Grand Prix. While Sergio Perez and Carlos Sainz's aggressive battle ended in broken bodywork, it was Piastri and Leclerc who captured the audience's attention with their precise and calculated manoeuvres, offering a spectacle of sportsmanship and skill.

The defining moment of their duel came when Piastri pulled off an audacious overtake on Leclerc, leaving the Ferrari driver both stunned and impressed. As the pair went wheel-to-wheel multiple times during the race, the McLaren driver’s defensive prowess was put to the ultimate test, and he responded with exceptional skill. Leclerc relentlessly pursued Piastri for nearly ten laps, trying to shake off his so-called "Baku curse." Yet, despite his best efforts, the Australian rookie managed to hold his ground.

Here is the video:

Even Charles was a fan of Oscar's move 😍#F1 #AzerbaijanGP pic.twitter.com/GrFmkOKSSz

— Formula 1 (@F1) September 15, 2024

Piastri later admitted that his decisive overtake had been anything but certain. Speaking about the nail-biting moment in cooling room with Leclerc, he said, “To be honest, when I hit the brakes, I was like ‘there is a 50/50 chance I make this corner or not.’” His daring decision left Leclerc wide-eyed in disbelief as he watched Piastri dive into the corner without hesitation.

“But that never happened”, says Leclerc

Leclerc's reaction to the overtake quickly went viral after the race. Recalling the moment, he said, "Yeah, I just braked the way I normally do and saw you going in and thought, ‘He’s not going to release the brakes!’ Then I figured I’d let him take the DRS and try to overtake him later – but that never happened!”

While Charles Leclerc was left stunned, Piastri revealed that he spent most of the battle bracing for Leclerc’s comeback. “To be honest, there were about 10 laps where I thought he was going to get me, so I was pretty afraid,” he admitted. However, once he found some clean air ahead, he knew he could breathe a bit easier and manage the race from the front.