Formula 1 News: Piastri Urges McLaren Review After Compromised Qualifying Lap at British GP

Australian Formula 1 driver Oscar Piastri has called on his McLaren team to analyze the circumstances that led to his compromised final qualifying lap at the Formula 1 British Grand Prix, held at Silverstone on July 16, 2023.

Throughout the first two segments, Piastri demonstrated promising pace, rivaling his teammate Lando Norris. However, his opening run in the pole position shootout saw him settled in fourth place. When Max Verstappen improved on his last attempt, Piastri was demoted to fifth, unable to respond with a faster time.

Piastri’s qualifying ambitions were hindered by poor timing from McLaren, which left him stuck behind Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz on his preparation lap. Despite passing the Aston Martin into the Vale chicane, he spent his entire push lap receiving turbulence from Sainz’s Ferrari ahead.

“I don’t really think so,” he emphasized that McLaren‘s early pacing in Q1 and Q2 showed great potential, but their late timing in Q3 ultimately hindered his performance.

Piastri’s setback marked the second consecutive weekend where he failed to secure a starting spot that matched his pace, following a track limits saga that cost him in Austria. He acknowledged that this weekend’s frustration stemmed from the team’s mistakes, stating, “I mean this weekend is a very different frustration… Today was on us as a team. So yeah, definitely some things we need to review from that point.”

Despite the setback, Piastri remains optimistic about his chances of landing a podium at Silverstone. Looking ahead to the race, he believes the fine margins at the sharp end will make optimizing the finer details crucial. “I think we’re all very even, to be honest,” he said. “I think the Mercedes looked very fast… So yeah, I think they’re one of the quickest, if not the quickest at the moment.”

Piastri suspects that Max Verstappen, who went through the gravel during qualifying, may have more in store for the race. “So yeah, I think the five cars there are very evenly matched at the moment, so it’s going to be about who maximises the opportunities tomorrow.”

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