Piastri cops penalty over blunder that left rival fuming
Australia’s Oscar Piastri will start in sixth on the grid at the Italian Grand Prix after copping a three-place penalty for impeding Kiwi Liam Lawson.
In a qualifying that saw Alpine driver Pierre Gasly grab his maiden Formula 1 pole, Piastri qualified as the third-fastest but was relegated to sixth for obstructing Lawson while emerging from the pits.
Oscar Piastri impeding Liam Lawson. Sky Sport
Mercedes’ George Russell will start in second on the grid, with Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc beginning in third, Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton fourth and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen fifth.
A dawdling Piastri ended up in the path of Lawson as the Racing Bulls driver navigated the first chicane on his final flying lap of qualifying two.
The New Zealander blew up.
“Dude, what the f--k?!” he said on team radio.
Piastri offered his perspective after qualifying.
“It was a tricky situation to manage,” the McLaren star said.
“I was coming out of the pits and got told that Lawson and Verstappen were coming, but I had to jump on the brakes pretty heavily to get out of Max’s way, and then I was just stuck in a very awkward spot with Liam.”
Gasly (1:21.786), Russell (1:21.846) and Piastri (1:21.966) all produced their fastest lap in qualifying three.
The fastest lap Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris could muster was 1:22.067 in qualifying two.
“Things have been a little better this weekend,” Piastri said.
“Lap times haven’t been spectacular in practice because it’s been quite messy in general.
“I feel like in qualifying for most parts we got ourselves in a good position in the train and got a slipstream, and that was all we needed. We put ourselves in the right spot, and I think I executed a good lap.”
Gasly clinching pole shocked all and sundry.
Pierre Gasly grabbed his maiden Formula 1 pole. Rudy Carezzevoli/Getty Images
“Let’s go!” he beamed on team radio.
“Been waiting for that one!”
The Frenchman has one Formula 1 win to his name – and that came at Monza, too.
“In the end it felt like a very good lap,” he said.
“I am so happy – it has been nine years, trying to chase and get the opportunity to get pole position.
“To win my first race in Monza, get my first pole position on this track, it is something special around here.”
Russell expressed surprise at Gasly topping the timesheets.
“To be totally honest, I don’t think we thought they [Alpine] were in the fight,” the Briton said.
“It goes to show what a great job he did.”
