Oscar Piastri has sought some unique experiences to avoid retiring from Australia’s Grand Prix, but admits that it’s spinning from the scuffle of his home race.
McLaren controlled the race before the slow rain showers began to slide wide in the final sector with both race leaders Rand Norris and Piastri. While Norris rejoined the track and held the lead as soon as he entered the pit, Piastri spinning over the grass on the penultimate corner, stuck across the lap as he fell back from the second of the field.
“The start wasn’t surprising, but I pinched in a bit and then I was overtaken,” Piastri said. “I think the pace was really strong until we pitted on the slick. I think Max was a bit locked up and widened, so it’s a shame that all of that didn’t lead to the outcome we wanted.
“I tried to push a little more. Under these conditions it’s very difficult to tell how slippery it would be. From one lap to the next, it was really a huge difference and I think I could have seen Rand go out in front of me, but basically I was already in the corner so there was not much I could do at that point to slow myself down.
“Then if you were in the gravel and grass, you obviously keep the car as straight as possible. And while it was incredibly unbelievable to be stuck in the grass like that, I was just blaming you for being there, which is a shame.”
Piastri said it was a skill that slowly turned around on wet grass, headed towards the drainage area, stayed in the race and would benefit from the unusual winter experience.
“I was just trying to stay in the race, I tried to move forward, but I couldn’t, so it’s good to have spent some time in the offseason learning how to reverse a tractor on (TV personality) Jeremy Clarkson’s farm. I think it’s convenient. I was just trying to get back to the race.”
Despite missing out on the opportunity to win the home race, Piastri said the overall signs of both himself and McLaren were encouraging.
“I think I was extremely proud of the work I did in essentially a 56-lap race,” he said. “The pace was really strong. I was obviously disappointed with the mistakes I made, but it doesn’t take away completely from how strong the whole weekend is, not just for the team but for myself.
“I feel like I did a good job all weekend, so it would not be pessimistic for me to write off the entire weekend for one mistake.
“One of the things I wanted to do this year is to start the last two years stronger than I started, and I stressed a lot that (Sunday) means business.
“It’s obviously going to hurt for a certain period of time, but I’m still happy with the job apart from the job (lap). These are very tough situations and we’ve seen a lot of people struggling – that doesn’t mean I should struggle, but there are still a lot of positives.”