F1 News: Oscar Piastri slams 'EMBARRASSING' FIA decision as McLaren launch Austrian GP protest

Oscar Piastri, McLaren, FIA, 2024 — Photo: © IMAGO

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Piastri slams 'EMBARRASSING' FIA decision as McLaren launch Austrian GP protest

The McLaren driver cut a frustrated figure after qualifying

Rhys Thomas

Saturday 29 June 2024 19:58 Updated: 22:00

McLaren star Oscar Piastri has branded an FIA decision as 'embarrassing' following qualifying at the Austrian Grand Prix.

After a disappointing performance in sprint qualifying on Friday, Piastri had a much better showing on Saturday, finishing P2 in the sprint race early in the day and getting much closer to his team-mate Lando Norris in grand prix qualifying.

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Norris will start Sunday's race in P2, with Max Verstappen having topped the time sheets at the Red Bull Ring just ahead of him to take pole position.

Piastri would have been lining up just behind them in third but for some late drama in Spielberg.

Oscar Piastri put in a strong performance in the F1 Sprint

Oscar Piastri slams FIA decision

Piastri was adjudged to have exceeded track limits between turns six and seven, with his papaya car brushing the gravel on the exit. The stewards decided that Piastri had crossed the white line, and the 23-year-old subsequently saw his lap time deleted.

However, TV footage showed that if he had gone over the edge of the track limits, it was by the tightest of margins, and Ted Kravitz later claimed live on Sky Sports that McLaren were set to appeal the decision.

"For me it's embarrassing," Piastri fumed in the media pen after qualifying.

"We did all of this work for track limits, put gravel in places, and I didn't even go off the track. I stayed on the track. It was probably my best turn six and it gets deleted.

"I don't know why they've spent hundreds of thousands trying to change the last two corners when you still have corners you can go off.

"But, anyway, everyone else kept it in the track, I didn't. That's how it goes."

Ted Kravitz explained McLaren were set to appeal the FIA decision

Ahead of the 2024 race, the FIA implemented significant changes to run-off areas around the Red Bull Ring after 2023's race saw over 1200 track limit incidents which meant the final race classification was not issued for hours.

Asked to elaborate on what he meant by 'embarrassing', Piastri continued: "That was probably the best turn six I took. I was right to the limit of the track, I think that's what everyone wants to see,"

"Again, we have spent so much effort trying to get rid of these problems. There is no reason this corner should be an issue for track limits, especially when you stay on the track, like I did, or not on the gravel.

"So, yeah, for me being the only one that has had that happen to me I'm probably more vocal about it right now but I think it's embarrassing that you see us pushing right to the limit of what we can do and one centimetre more I'm in the gravel and completing ruin my lap anyway - and it gets deleted."

McLaren protest rejected

It was confirmed a few hours later that McLaren's appeal had not been successful, meaning Piastri will start Sunday's race from seventh.

When confirming McLaren's protest, team principal Andrea Stella said: "We wanted to look at the evidence whereby the car was beyond the track limits beyond any reasonable doubt.

"I cannot say that the beyond reasonable doubt is satisfied. There are a couple of principles.

"One that the system used needs to have adequate resolution and the second one is the methodology used for one car needs to be applicable to all cars, like if you use a helicopter view for one car it needs to be used for all cars.

Andrea Stella confirmed McLaren's protest

"We are normally very supportive of the FIA and recognise everyone is trying their best.

"But in this case we couldn't agree that the car was beyond the track limits beyond any reasonable doubt."

He then added: “There’s a lot to come here, compete, do qualifying laps and when the penalty is so severe like having a lap deleted, we need to make sure the penalty is enforced beyond any reasonable doubt."

Max Verstappen McLaren FIA Lando Norris Oscar Piastri Austrian Grand Prix