Oscar Piastri encountered a rare black-and-white flag during the Spanish GP. The McLaren driver had already come across George Russell on the track early in the race, causing damage to his MCL40. Subsequently, the McLaren car became difficult to control. “It was just a tough afternoon, literally from the start,” sighed Piastri.
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While teammate Lando Norris was frustrated at missing out on a shortened pit stop under the virtual safety car, Oscar Piastri faced a very different setback. The Australian received a rare black-and-white flag from the FIA during the Spanish Grand Prix. The reason for the flag is usually dangerous or unsportsmanlike driving. However, Piastri received the flag for cutting corners and exceeding track limits. The MCL40 had become harder to control after sustaining damage in a collision with George Russell.
Collision with Russell
“It was just a tough afternoon, literally from the start,” Piastri reflected to the media. “From that moment (collision with Russell at the start, ed.) the rest of the race was very difficult, obviously mainly due to the damage and my position on the circuit. I was driving alongside him, and he kept pushing me against the wall, after which I braked and more or less avoided him. But in the middle of all that, he also braked. Everyone braked, and we more or less got tangled up and so on. I just expected a bit more space, and between a car and a wall you obviously can’t make space, so that was difficult.”
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According to Piastri, the collision was inevitable due to the characteristics of the new Spanish circuit. “On a circuit like this, you’re always looking for a bit of free air in the fast corners, and because there is no curb or wall on the inside of some corners, it’s very easy to go just a bit too far,” said the McLaren driver.
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