Oscar Piastri offered an apology to the McLaren team following a moment during the Austrian Grand Prix where he nearly collided with his teammate, Lando Norris. Piastri acknowledged that he had been “pushing the boundaries” during the incident.
This close call happened on lap 20. As Piastri attempted an overtake down the inside of Turn Four, he locked his front tyres, coming within inches of hitting the rear of Norris`s car. This near-collision occurred just two weeks after the two McLarens actually made contact due to a misjudgment by Norris.
The cars narrowly avoided contact as Norris turned into the corner. Norris successfully held the lead and went on to win the race, with Piastri finishing second. This result reduced Norris`s lead over Piastri in the world championship standings to 15 points.
Team Communication and Piastri`s Response
Shortly after his first pit stop, Piastri received a warning from his race engineer, Tom Stallard, who relayed feedback from the pit wall: “Feedback from the pit wall, the manoeuvre in Turn Four with the lock up was too marginal. We can`t do that again.”
After the race, Piastri took to the team radio to apologize, saying: “Sorry for the move in Turn Four. My bad.”
Later, Piastri elaborated on the team`s instruction, stating, “I mean, I thought it was a fair comment.”
He explained that locking up and narrowly avoiding hitting his teammate`s rear was definitely “pushing the boundaries.”
Piastri added that even without the team`s warning, he recognized it wasn`t a wise move to attempt again: “Even if I hadn`t been told anything, I didn`t think it was a wise decision to try that one again. So, yeah, a fair comment and nothing more than that.”
Team Principal`s View
Team principal Andrea Stella commented to Sky Sports F1 that they felt the need to advise Piastri on the Turn Four incident, which Oscar acknowledged. Stella expressed pride in Oscar for immediately apologizing after the race, acknowledging it`s challenging in Formula 1 when racing hard, but ultimately, it was a positive day.
McLaren “Very Proud” of Drivers` Battle
The dominant McLaren pair had already engaged in a close wheel-to-wheel battle for several corners nine laps earlier. Piastri briefly took the lead into Turn Three, only for Norris to immediately reclaim the position before the next corner.
Given that the teammates managed to battle intensely without making contact, Stella stated the team was “very happy, very proud of how they handled the situation” on the track.
Stella admitted such moments are stressful but emphasized their trust in the drivers, Oscar and Lando. From the pit wall, they tried to remain calm and analyze the situation rationally.
“But for us,” Stella continued, “it was clear that the guys both needed to have the opportunity to win the race, as long as they do it in the way they`ve done it today.” He concluded that it was a “great spectacle for Formula 1” and they were happy to entertain their fans, looking forward to more such races, despite the nerves it might cause on the pit wall.
Piastri Reflects on the Duel
Piastri also reflected on the battle, noting their previous encounters, stating, “There have been a few battles in the past, not just last week, but last year and the year before. So, I think we both knew what to expect.”
He described the Austrian GP duel as tough and close, admitting he might have overstepped the limits once or twice from his side. He recognized that fighting for wins in Formula 1 is inherently difficult.
Piastri felt it was an “entertaining race.” He suggested that perhaps after the first stop, they should have given Lando some “breathing room,” but acknowledged that the first 20 laps were “pretty intense,” concluding it was a good battle overall.
