Oscar Piastri expressed frustration over a track limits call during the Austrian GP qualifying.
- Piastri’s Q3 lap, which seemed flawless to him, was deleted due to a minor track limits violation.
- He slammed the decision as ’embarrassing,’ questioning the effectiveness of track modifications and AI implementations.
- The McLaren driver criticized Turn 6, which unexpectedly became a focal point for violations this year.
- He believes that racing should involve pushing limits and that current rules contradict the spirit of F1.
Oscar Piastri’s Austrian Grand Prix qualifying was marred by a controversial decision that saw his Q3 lap, potentially one of his best, getting deleted due to a track limits violation. For the McLaren driver, this was more than disappointing; it was ’embarrassing.’ His lap, which would have placed him in third, was invalidated in a moment, demoting him to seventh. “We do all this work for track limits, put gravel in places, and I didn’t even go off the track,” Piastri expressed his disbelief, adding that despite the high costs invested into upgrading track systems, laps like his fall victim to these stringent limitations.
While the Red Bull Ring had focused on Turns 9 and 10 in previous years, introducing gravel traps and blue lines to help with track boundary issues, it now appears Turn 6 has taken over as a problem spot. Piastri questioned the emphasis on the white line as the definitive boundary, suggesting instead that the gravel should dictate limits. He reflected on what F1 racing represents to him, saying, “pushing the limits and taking the risks” should be at the core of the sport, not a strict adherence to a white line.
In a sport marred by over 1,200 track limits violations in the previous year at just two corners, the expectation was that changes would lead to fewer issues. However, the focus has shifted, and the unintended consequence has been seen at Turn 6. “There is no reason this corner should be an issue for track limits,” Piastri asserted, clearly perplexed about why a minor extension of his car beyond the line caused such a substantial penalty.
The FIA’s addition of technology meant to assist and relieve race stewards from the pressures of making such calls has seemingly created new challenges. For Piastri, the blend of human judgment and technological assistance has not harmonized, resulting in confusing outcomes during critical times of racing. As drivers like him strive to maximize performance and push boundaries, the existing regulations seem more of a hindrance than a help. “Just a shame the white line was still a bit wider than my car,” he ruefully remarked following the decision.
Piastri remains critical of the current track limit regulations, emphasizing that while risks are part of F1, fairness should not be compromised.
