Oscar Piastri stated it was “a shame” that the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix was ruined by injury within the first lap of the race.
The McLaren driver solely reached Q3 in his second begin for the crew, however was compelled to pit on the finish of lap one with entrance wing injury after landing on Flip 1.
“I believe that lap one was simply a type of Flip one occasions,” Piastri stated. “The contact felt actually small, so to be trustworthy I used to be fairly shocked that I used to be broken.”
After working the remaining 49 laps of the race with out making a second pit cease, he recovered and completed in fifteenth place.
“The remainder of the race was cheap for my part,” he stated. “Good expertise studying the way to use the battery in transitions and stuff like that. It is good to see the top too, but it surely’s a disgrace.
Regardless of beginning within the prime 10, Piastri stated he wasn’t “100% positive” he may rating with out taking injury within the first spherical.
“I am undecided how good our pace is anyway,” stated the McLaren driver. “I believe 49 laps on laborious floor won’t ever be nice on your race tempo, however we’ll have to take a seat again and see the way it goes.”
Piastri’s first-lap injury was a double blow for McLaren when Lando Norris crashed into the wreckage of the crew’s different automotive on lap two and likewise needed to pit for a brand new entrance wing.
Group principal Andrea Stella stated the crew had “excessive hopes for factors” earlier than the race began. “We’re racers, we do not thoughts that type of factor and once we get to Australia we will likely be much more decided to achieve success.”
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2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
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