McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri ‘pretty frustrated’ with Spanish Grand Prix qualifying
A minor slip in the wet and young Aussie F1 star Oscar Piastri was left with a lower grid position than he had originally expected.
Or hoped.
With just over 100,000 spectators watching as Max Verstappen raced his Red Bull flying machine fastest around the track and raced from pole, with Piastri starting from 9th.
But the Aussie in his McLaren was on track to start 7th.
However, a mistake in the slippery final sector meant he couldn’t get past 1:13.682s – still five seconds quicker than last year. That’s because the track has changed a bit for this year’s refresh.
Australian Formula 1 star Oscar Piastri (pictured) was frustrated after passing 7th on the grid at the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix when he hit a wet spot during qualifying
“Until that point I was honestly on a decent lap,” he said Speed cafe.
“I broke a little too late for Turn 10, missed the apex a little bit and then hit a wet part of the track and it was game over from there.
‘Pretty frustrated with myself,. Honestly it was a good session up to that point, just a mess when it came down to it.
“I think we should have had both cars forward, so it’s a shame, but that’s where it went wrong.”
Despite that, he still shows huge improvement every time he rides.
Reigning champion and current world champion Max Verstappen (pictured) will lead the field off the grid in this year’s Spanish Formula 1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya
Verstappen is all smiles after recording the fastest lap in qualifying
However, last year’s winner Verstappen again looks like the one to beat, although locals are quietly convinced that their pair of Carlos Sainz (2nd on the grid) and Fernando Alonso (8th) both look very fast on the grid new circuit of Barcelona.
Pierre Gasly (Alpine) was fourth today, although he will be penalized for obstructing Sainz’s lap and should drop to 10th.
Lewis Hamilton is fifth, with Lance Stroll on the same starting line as him. Esteban Ocon (Alpine) and Nico Hulkenberg (Haas) will be Alonso’s rivals for him, in seventh and eighth respectively.
After qualifying, both Alonso and Sainz were asked about their preferences for tomorrow’s race.
Alonso, the Aston Martin driver, has stated that he prefers rain to have more chances; while Sainz wants a dry track in his Ferrari.
The weather is currently changeable, so no one knows exactly what will happen.
The new track layout has been the talk of the town with fast times popping up everywhere.
The main focus is on the shortened track, which has been reduced from 4,675 to 4,657 meters and from 16 corners to 14. This explains the remarkable improvement in lap times, which today were led by reigning champion Verstappen.
The Dutchman won both Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2, at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, which is already starting to provide surprises and excitement, proving once again that Red Bull is one step ahead of the rest.
The World Cup leader clocked a 1:13.907 in the afternoon, suggesting a much faster and more exciting Grand Prix compared to Leclerc’s pole time last year (1:18.750).
A ‘communication’ mix-up has been blamed on the British pair and teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell clashing during practice
Previous Mercedes teammates Lewis Hamilton and George Russell ran into trouble on the home straight, shocking everyone.
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, while trying to calm the sea of questions, said there was a “miscommunication” between the British pair at the end of the second qualifying period.
An attempt to overtake Hamilton at high speed on the start and finish straight culminated in the duo’s wheels popping, forcing the seven-time F1 champion onto the grass and visibly sending parts of the car flying off.
He later claimed that Russell’s driving was ‘dangerous’, but the pair were seen shaking hands moments later.