F1
How does Oscar Piastri explain his mistake in Melbourne?
© DPPI
What a disappointing blunder for a pilot of his caliber!Oscar piastri (McLaren), went off the track at turn 4 during the formation lap. A blunder that cost the Australian his participation in the Australian Grand Prix, under the dismayed gaze of local fans who had come to support their compatriot. This is obviously very disappointing for the fans. I feel sorry for them. the person in question apologized to Canal+ microphones. I wish I had been able to show what I could do. »
The Melbourne native, who qualified fifth, saw his chances of a podium finish or even victory dashed before the race even started. Betrayed by a " Insufficient tire temperature According to Andrea Stella, director of the Papayes, Piastri made a fatal lapse in attention, losing control of his car before the lights went out. The impact came far too late to hope for any repairs, and Oscar Piastri's MCL40 never took to the track.
But what happened in the cockpit?
He himself questioned his actions after his disastrous performance. I'm trying to understand what happened in order to get a better idea. he explains to Canal+It's a combination of factors on my end. I didn't expect the car to react like that. »
Initial evidence points to two culprits: the outside rumble strip at turn 4, which was taken at low speed, but above all, a technical anomaly in his machine. We had a small problem leaving the pits, mainly because the battery was flat. " he told Sky Sports F1. " We'll have to analyze what happened. I went over the curb a bit, but from what we could see, everything reacted as it should have according to the regulations, but I had roughly 100kW (136 hp) more power than the rest of the weekend at the precise moment I shifted into gear. he continued, speaking to F1. This caused my rear wheels to spin, and since I was already on the rumble strip, it destabilized the car. I'm very disappointed, of course. »
An analysis shared by his boss, Andrea Stella. During the first reconnaissance lap, several factors, including suboptimal tire temperature, unexpected torque deployment and going over the kerb, caused Oscar to unexpectedly spin out in turn 4, subsequently hitting the barriers. "The bottom line: another year at Albert Park without an Australian on the podium."
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Paul Lucas
09/03/2026 at 09:18 a.m.
Unfortunately, as with Max, Oscar isn't at fault; this is SOLELY due to the overwhelming number of technological changes imposed on the cars... Let's hope this doesn't happen again in future editions!
Alain Féguenne (🇱🇺 Luxembourg)
08/03/2026 at 10:46 a.m.
All this technology has no place in F1… totally useless and expensive! What are we waiting for, a major crash?! I repeat, the FIA and BS are incompetent in this regard! On the other hand, a very good idea for safety: flashing lights in the mirrors… 👏👏👏. alainkf1@pt.lu 😎👍
eric stevens
08/03/2026 at 04:07 a.m.
This technology isn't reliable yet; Verstappen's qualifying problem and all the braking lock-ups are consequences of this complexity. Blaming the drivers isn't entirely fair, but we have to remain "corporate" and not criticize the brilliant decisions of the rule-makers.
Yves-Henri RANDIER
08/03/2026 at 04:00 a.m.
Another battery problem? Russell had one at the start of the Grand Prix, and wouldn't Lawson have been affected as well? You have to give the product a chance, as they say in marketing... but shouldn't we dream of future regulations with "simple" "high rev" engines without any electric assistance and using truly sustainable fuel? Come on, MBS, do something useful!