'Not a lot went our way': Piastri's lament after action-packed race
Monday, 4 September 2023
Oscar Piastri led a Grand Prix for the first time and set the fastest lap at Monza, but a messy race punctuated by multiple contacts with rivals saw him finish frustrated and out of the points.
Leading a Grand Prix, a clash with his teammate, another with a seven-time world champion, yet another with a driver in his second race and a first fastest lap of his career but no points – everything that could have happened to Oscar Piastri seemingly did at an action-packed Italian Grand Prix for the McLaren driver, who finished in 12th place at Monza.
The Australian started Sunday's 51-lap race from seventh place on the grid after out-qualifying McLaren teammate Lando Norris for the third time this year. After Norris told the team he felt he was being held up by Piastri, McLaren pitted the British driver first on lap 22, Piastri taking the lead before pitting one lap later.
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The McLaren teammates then touched at the first corner as Piastri re-joined the track, which the race stewards noted but took no action on as Norris stayed ahead, and Piastri's afternoon then began to unravel.
Fighting with Lewis Hamilton as the Mercedes driver used an alternative tyre strategy to make his way through the field after a poor qualifying, Hamilton was given a five-second time penalty for hitting Piastri at the Roggia chicane on lap 41, Piastri needing to pit for a new nosecone before setting the fastest lap of the race two laps later.
Finding himself out of the points, Piastri then clashed with Scuderia AlphaTauri's Liam Lawson, assessed a five-second penalty for leaving the track and gaining an advantage that dropped him behind the New Zealander at the chequered flag.
"That was a pretty disappointing afternoon to come out of that with no points, not a lot went our way," Piastri said afterwards, quickly adding that Hamilton had put his hand up for his mistake in their wheel-to-wheel battle.
"Lewis crept over a little bit more than he thought," Piastri said.
"The stewards gave out their verdict, Lewis apologised to me already. Unfortunately I can't get my race back, so there's nothing more I can do or ask for. The one with Liam, I was having a pretty terrible afternoon at that point. I was a fair bit quicker and I tried to go around the outside a few times, so it is what it is."
Piastri felt the unique characteristics of the track didn't play to McLaren's strengths, and shouldn’t be a sign of things to come as he failed to score for the first time in five events.
"For the rest of the races, we should be decent – I think we knew we would struggle a bit here," he said.
"I don't think there's too much point to dwell on it. Hopefully we're a bit quicker the next time out, and for the rest of the season."
Oscar's Italian Grand Prix by the numbers
- Qualified: 7th
- Race: 12th
- Fastest lap: 1min 25.072secs (1st), lap 43
- Points this event: 0
- Points this season: 36 (12th in world championship)
