Oscar Piastri expressed immense joy after securing victory at the Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday, bouncing back from a disappointing performance in Saturday's Sprint. The young Australian driver was particularly proud of his "lively" overtaking maneuver on his teammate, Lando Norris, during the crucial first lap, which propelled him into the lead.
Earlier in the weekend, Piastri had started from pole position in the Sprint but ultimately finished second after being overtaken by Max Verstappen. His struggles continued in Qualifying, where he lost the top spot to his McLaren teammate, Norris. However, as race day approached, the 24-year-old was determined to make amends for his earlier setbacks.
Following a delayed start due to wet conditions, Piastri quickly engaged in a fierce battle with Norris as the race began. He executed a superb exit from Turn 1, which allowed him to gain an advantage through Eau Rouge, leading to a successful overtaking move. Post-race, Piastri reflected on the experience, stating, “Lively, very lively. I knew that Lap 1 was going to be probably my best chance of winning the race.” He recounted, “I got a good exit out of Turn 1 and lifted as little as I dared through Eau Rouge, and then it was enough.”
Throughout the race, Piastri maintained control, although he admitted to experiencing some challenges towards the end. “Maybe the medium tyre wasn’t the best for the last five or six laps, but we had it mostly under control, which is what I wanted,” he noted. Despite his earlier disappointment, he acknowledged the advantage of starting in second place at Spa, remarking, “Turns out starting second at Spa is not too bad after all.”
When asked about his strategy prior to the race, Piastri revealed that he had hoped for a standing start instead of a rolling one, believing it would provide better opportunities. “I got a good exit out of Turn 1, was able to stay close, and when I was that close, I knew that I’d just got to lift a little bit less than Lando did and try and keep it on the track,” he explained. “It was a bit lively up over the hill, but I managed to make it stick, and from there the tow helped me out. I’m proud of my first lap.”
During the transition from intermediate tyres to slicks, Piastri opted for the medium compound, while Norris chose the hard rubber. Reflecting on this decision, Piastri stated, “I kind of had the same plan if I was going to be second. I kind of knew that was going to be a likely decision for him.” He added, “For me, the medium was the safest tyre to be on at that point. You never know if someone’s going to crash and there’s going to be a Safety Car, and then at that point, you want a medium. The medium seemed good in the Sprint yesterday.”
Piastri concluded that while the tyre choice may not have had a significant impact, it was crucial to find any advantage possible in a close 1-2 battle. “When you’re fighting like that, you’re always going to try and gain an advantage in one way or another, and I think we did the safest thing,” he stated.
Looking ahead, the Formula 1 paddock will soon head to Budapest for the upcoming Hungarian Grand Prix scheduled for the weekend of August 1-3. This venue holds special significance for Piastri, as it was the location of his debut race win last year. “It’s going to be exciting to go back,” he remarked. “It’s a track I enjoy and the scene of my first win last year, so I’m looking forward to getting back and hopefully we can continue the momentum because the pace has been incredibly strong.”