Max Verstappen has praised new F1 championship leader Oscar Piastri's rise despite his immediate frustration over their front-row duel at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
Four-time and defending world champion Verstappen cursed after stewards sided with winner Piastri over his passing move on turn one and penalised him for his subsequent attempt to regain the advantage.
But he was quick to acknowledge the huge title challenge posed by 24-year-old Piastri, who has now won three of the season's five races in his McLaren, becoming the first Australian to lead the championship since his manager Mark Webber at Red Bull in 2010.
