Oscar Piastri voices his disappointment over FIA’s penalties.
- The young McLaren driver was penalized at the Austrian GP for track limits.
- Piastri found the FIA’s explanation lacking and protested the harsh ruling.
- His efforts to appeal were thwarted by procedural obstacles.
- Dialogue with FIA continues to seek future improvements.
Oscar Piastri, the charismatic and talented driver from McLaren, didn’t hold back in expressing his frustration with the FIA after losing his third-place grid position at the Austrian Grand Prix. His ‘pretty poor’ comment about the FIA’s explanation for penalizing him added fuel to the ongoing debate over stewarding decisions.
As tensions ran high, Piastri’s dissatisfaction stemmed from the perceived unfairness of his deleted lap time during the race’s qualifying round. He was flagged for exceeding track limits at Turn 6, an infraction he and his team felt was marginal. McLaren’s attempt to protest this decision was immediately rejected on procedural grounds, leaving Piastri in a tight spot.
The incident became a point of heated discussion during the driver briefing at Silverstone. The young driver was determined to seek clarity and justice but was met with underwhelming answers from the FIA. “They were pretty poor. Let’s leave it at that,” Piastri candidly remarked to reporters, including those from PlanetF1.com.
Piastri emphasized the flawed methodology behind the decision to delete his lap. Despite the controversy, the rules left no room for appeal, adding to his frustration. The situation was compounded by the intense events of the race, which saw a collision between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, ultimately leading to George Russell’s victory.
A notable point of concern was the omission of the helicopter footage in the decision-making process. Piastri highlighted this oversight, questioning the transparency and thoroughness of the evaluation. However, he acknowledged the productive nature of the discussions between drivers and FIA, citing significant progress in understanding and cooperation.
Despite the challenges, Piastri recognized the complexities facing the stewards. He appreciated the difficulty of monitoring all drivers and situations perfectly. Yet, he hoped for a more lenient approach in situations where no advantage was gained from minor track infractions. The consensus among drivers and the FIA seemed to aim at enhancing the overall spectacle of the race.
Oscar Piastri’s candid remarks on FIA’s stewarding highlight ongoing challenges in F1 racing.
