Oscar Piastri admits the error he made in qualifying for the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix was painful as he dropped out in Q1.
McLaren seemed fast in FP3 on Saturday and was a contender for pole place however Piastri locked up on his first run in Q1 because the group used medium tires initially. Then on softs for his remaining try, the Australian went huge at Flip 12 and couldn’t enhance sufficient on a second timed lap so was eradicated in seventeenth place.
“I simply went off in Flip 12, obtained beached on the curb there and that’s it,” Piastri mentioned. “My lap was simply going to be sufficient so it’s irritating to make that mistake. I misplaced a few second, so… painful.
“FP3 was very sturdy, even FP2. FP1 I struggled a bit, however FP2 I feel we made some actually good adjustments and I used to be snug. FP3 [was] very snug as effectively, and even in qualifying I felt good. Only a very foolish mistake, attempting a bit too laborious in Q1, in order that was it. I imply, not less than I do know the place all of it went unsuitable, nevertheless it nonetheless is painful to be stood right here.”
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Piastri additionally instructed he might have aborted and performed one other run on new tires to attempt to advance however he was anticipating to have the efficiency to enhance regardless.
“We didn’t must [stay out], nevertheless it felt like a really smart determination to try this,” he defined. “I feel we simply had very, little or no grip on that second lap, which was a disgrace, however I imply, I shouldn’t have even wanted it. Clearly irritating, as a result of the tempo seemed very sturdy and I felt snug. Simply tried a bit an excessive amount of in Flip 12 and it bit me laborious.”
A 12 months in the past, teammate Lando Norris additionally began seventeenth and completed fifth with a powerful drive in Mexico, and Piastri says that would be the template for his personal restoration try on Sunday.
“Try to get again into the factors, and strongly into the factors, hopefully,” he mentioned. “We’re attempting to attract inspiration from Lando’s race final 12 months and see what we are able to do. I feel it’s going to be powerful, as a result of the sphere seems to be moderately tight. I feel we’ve obtained some tempo on board this weekend, so we’ll attempt to use it to get by means of.”
