Australian F1 driver Oscar Piastri was left shocked after a stuntman in a jetpack crashed during a lap around the track just before the Austrian Grand Prix.
Three stuntmen wearing jetpacks thrilled the crowd at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg, Austria, as they completed a full lap around the track.
However, one of the riders experienced a malfunction, resulting in a dramatic crash that left Piastri bewildered as he watched from the pits.
The jetpack rider appeared to lose control during the landing, tumbling onto the track and skidding to a stop.
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Fortunately, he quickly got up, saluted the crowd, and walked away, showing that he was unharmed.
Piastri’s reaction to the crash, captured by F1’s official social media accounts, drew attention, with references made to the TV comedy series “The Office.”
Reflecting on his own challenging day on the track, Piastri humorously remarked, “Wasn’t the only one to have a tricky day.”
Fans praised Piastri’s priceless reaction, comparing it to the iconic moments from “The Office.”
They appreciated the unique pre-race entertainment and expressed relief that the jetpack rider was safe.
While Piastri had a tough day on the track, finishing 16th due to car issues and penalties, his teammate Lando Norris benefited from significant upgrades to his McLaren and secured a fifth-place finish.
Piastri expressed frustration about driving the older specification of the car and having to make an extra pit stop due to front wing damage.
Despite these challenges, he remained positive about his F1 career and acknowledged his mistakes in qualifying that cost him a spot in the Top-10 shootout.
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Piastri said, “The weather has been a big factor this weekend, and me and Lando have had different cars, so it’s been a bit tricky to compare across cars.
“As for the race, I need to look back and see if there’s anything I could have done to make my race pace a bit better.
“Obviously, it’s tricky with no direct comparison (to Norris), but I was quite happy with the weekend, other than the mistakes in qualifying and stuff.”