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“It’s a Shame”: Carlos Sainz’s Flagrant Antics Blamed as Oscar Piastri Suffers a Major Blow

Published 08/05/2023, 8:15 AM EDT

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During the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix, a dramatic collision between Oscar Piastri and Carlos Sainz caused their early exits. It happened at the first corner when Piastri attempted a daring inside move on the Ferrari man, who was battling Lewis Hamilton for third. Sainz’s car locked up, leading to the collision. The impact was so severe that, forced Piastri to retire on the second lap and Sainz on the 23rd lap. Sainz blamed Piastri’s inexperience, surprised by his decision to take the inside line. Though as the dust settles, the Spaniard is getting the blame from experts.

Piastri defended himself, feeling he had the right to be there & justified his move. Meanwhile, the stewards considered it a racing incident, highlighting the nature of the ordeal. But this was not any other racing incident. It was the one to thwart Piastri’s beaconing weekend hopes.

“It’s always fun when you see a driver get that ‘oh, this is the car I needed, I can now do what I know I can do on the track,’ “ said Toni Cowan-Brown on the latest episode of a Sky Sports podcast. She expressed delight in witnessing Oscar Piastri’s breakthrough moment as he achieved P2 in the sprint race of the Belgian GP weekend. Although she also feels everything a fan would. Elaborating on the unfortunate incident she continued, This was his first big moment. It’s a shame, not his fault, couldn’t keep that form for Sunday.” 

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“That’s what I mean by Formula 1 being exciting because 4-5 weeks ago, we would not be saying this about McLaren,” Brown continued, “and we truly didn’t know if they were going to be able to turn the ship around, but they truly did – the packages and the changes they brought to the car, and that I find exciting.”

All this doesn’t mean Piastri has lacked the form required of a Formula 1 driver. In a recent article, renowned presenter and former driver, Martin Brundle has some admirable words to say for Piastri.

Oscar Piastri shines bright, exceeding expectations on the Formula 1 grid

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Martin Brundle praised Oscar Piastri for exceeding expectations, securing P2 in the sprint race at the Belgian Grand Prix. The Australian rookie has stood out, outperforming fellow newcomers Sargeant and de Vries and being the only newcomer to score points this season.

via Imago

Piastri’s outstanding performance in the sprint race impressed Brundle, who admired his composed approach, despite his limited rookie experience. “Piastri pitted immediately, he’d impressively started alongside Verstappen on the front row after a stellar performance in the Sprint Shootout and was not held up in the pit lane. With an impressive out-lap, he took the lead. He always looked reassured up to this point and calmly handled the pressure in a style way beyond his 22 years and limited rookie experience, ” Brundle said as per a GPfans.com article.

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Though in the main race, McLaren‘s strategic decision to opt for higher downforce looked inspired by the rainy conditions, Piastri didn’t get the chance to explore its potential. Nonetheless, Piastri’s remarkable progress continues to catch the attention of us all.

WATCH THIS STORY | Is Oscar Piastri Already Justifying His Talent By Performing Better Than Daniel Ricciardo at McLaren?

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Written by:

Pulkit Jai

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Pulkit is an F1 writer at EssentiallySports. With a strong academic background in engineering, he possesses an in-depth understanding of the intricate mechanics and technology driving Formula 1 racing. This expertise allows him to offer insightful analysis, exploring the technical aspects of the sport and shedding light on the innovative advancements that shape the world of F1.
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Edited by:

Aishwary Gaonkar