Oscar Piastri, the McLaren driver, has placed the blame squarely on Lewis Hamilton for a late-race collision that forced him to pit for a new front wing during the Monza Grand Prix on Sunday.
The incident unfolded when Piastri was running in eighth place with just ten laps remaining, putting him on course to secure points for the fourth time in five races.
As the Australian racer navigated the iconic Monza circuit, he found himself in the crosshairs of Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes, which was equipped with grippier medium tires.
Hamilton seized the opportunity to make a move as they exited the Curva Grande, but it ended in a dramatic collision.
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Hamilton, veering too far to the right-hand side of the track, initiated the contact that forced both drivers to take evasive action and utilise the escape road.
While Hamilton’s Mercedes emerged unscathed from the incident, Piastri suffered front-wing damage that necessitated an unscheduled pit stop, ultimately costing him a points finish .
In the aftermath of the collision, the race stewards penalised Hamilton with a five-second penalty.
Speaking with Sky Sports F1 after the race, Oscar Piastri shared his perspective on the incident, attributing fault to Hamilton while acknowledging the Brit’s post-race apology.
Piastri remarked, “The one with Lewis, I think he crept over a bit more than he thought. Stewards gave out their verdict, and Lewis apologised, so nothing more I can ask for or do at that point.”
Despite the disappointment of the collision and its consequences, Piastri ended on a positive note, expressing his confidence in McLaren’s ongoing improvement.
He also acknowledged that Monza was not a circuit well-suited for the McLaren team.
Piastri stated, “I think for the rest of the races, we should be decent.
“I think we knew we would struggle a little bit here.
“I don’t think there’s too much point to dwell on it here.
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“Hopefully, we’re a bit quicker next time out and for the rest of the season.”
While Hamilton would battle through his penalty for the collision to finish in sixth place, just one spot behind his Mercedes teammate, George Russell, Piastri was forced to settle for P12.
Given how tightly fought the midfield battle has been this season, Piastri will undoubtedly be frustrated to have lost out on a solid points finish.