P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren has admitted that it must “take the blame” over the three-place grid drop that ruined Oscar Piastri’s podium hopes at Formula 1’s Emilia Romagna Grand Prix. Piastri received the entire upgrade package on his MCL38 that inspired Lando Norris to the win in Miami and McLaren again emerged as Red Bull’s closest challenger. The […]
Piastri received the full upgrade package on his MCL38, similar to the one that led to Lando Norris’ victory in Miami, positioning McLaren once again as Red Bull’s top rival. During the last practice session, the Australian led a McLaren 1-2 and secured second place in qualifying, narrowly trailing Max Verstappen by 0.074 seconds. However, a penalty for impeding Kevin Magnussen in Q1 prevented Piastri from starting on the front row. Despite gaining ground on Carlos Sainz through pit stops, he couldn’t challenge Charles Leclerc for third due to crucial track position. McLaren’s Team Principal Stella praised Piastri’s maximum effort in the race but acknowledged that better management of resources would have secured a podium finish. Stella attributed Piastri’s penalty to insufficient team communication rather than the driver’s mistake, expressing confidence in Piastri’s future opportunities. Ultimately, Piastri settled for fourth place, while Norris showcased McLaren’s potential with another podium, solidifying the team’s position in third in the Constructors’ Championship with 154 points, now trailing Ferrari by 58 points.
