FIA News: McLaren F1 star Oscar Piastri slams decision as 'EMBARRASSING' after drama leads to McLaren appeal

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

Austrian GP Qualifying

Piastri slams FIA decision as 'EMBARRASSING' after drama leads to McLaren appeal

The McLaren driver cut a frustrated figure after qualifying

Originally written by Rhys Thomas. This version is a translation.

Sunday 30 June 2024 15:00

Oscar Piastri has been critical of FIA rules that saw him drop out of the top three during Austrian Grand Prix qualifying.

Max Verstappen claimed pole position for Sunday's race, with Lando Norris in second and Piastri originally third.

However, his time was deleted for a marginal track limits violation, and the Australian was not hiding his indignation after the session.

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He will start the race down in seventh, prompting an appeal by the team as revealed by Sky Sports' Ted Kravitz.

Oscar Piastri was furious after his lap time was deleted in qualifying

Max Verstappen kept it inside the white lines to take pole

Piastri labels FIA decision 'embarrassing'

The stewards decided that Piastri had crossed the white line, and the 23-year-old subsequently saw his lap time deleted, demoting him to seventh.

It was the tightest of margins, and McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has gone to the FIA to challenge their decision.

"For me it's embarrassing," Piastri said. "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."

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 means by 'embarrassing', Piastri said: "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."

Max Verstappen McLaren Lando Norris FIA Oscar Piastri Austrian Grand Prix