Oscar Piastri acknowledged he may have pushed the boundaries too far in his on-track battle with McLaren teammate Lando Norris during the Austrian Grand Prix, where the pair delivered a dramatic one-two finish for the team. Piastri, who locked his brakes in a bold overtaking attempt on lap 20 at turn four, came perilously close to making contact with Norris, risking disaster for both drivers in the midst of a tight championship fight.
The Australian driver managed to regain control and went on to finish second behind Norris, but the intense duel shaved seven points off his championship lead, narrowing the gap to just 15 points.
“It was a good battle. A bit on the edge at times and probably pushed the limits a bit far,” Piastri admitted. “That’s what we’re here to do: try and race each other and fight for wins. It was close, but not quite enough this time.”
The incident, though not as damaging as their previous clash in Montreal where Norris’s misjudged move took him out of the race, still caused concern on the McLaren pit wall. Team principal Andrea Stella praised Piastri’s immediate acknowledgement of the situation, noting his maturity and accountability.
“As soon as he crossed the finish line, he opened the radio and said, ‘Sorry for the situation in corner four. My bad. I know what I have to do.’ We’ve come out stronger and even more united,” Stella remarked.
Piastri agreed with that sentiment, noting that he didn’t need to be told twice. “Locking up and missing the back of your teammate by not a lot is certainly pushing the boundaries. I didn’t think it was a wise decision to try that one again, even without being told.”
The battle between the two drivers provided a thrilling spectacle for fans and underlined McLaren’s strength in the championship. Piastri said the race was “intense” and hard-fought from the cockpit. “It was pretty hard work. I tried my absolute best and probably could have done a better job when I just got ahead momentarily.”
Norris, celebrating his victory and the team’s double podium finish, described it as a “beautiful one-two” and praised the competitive but respectful fight. “A lot of stress, but a lot of fun. A nice battle, so well done to Oscar,” he said. “It was tough, especially when he was in DRS, but it was a perfect result for the team.”
Reflecting on his redemption from the Montreal mishap, Norris added, “We have to put that behind us. It’s something I wish didn’t happen, but it was great to push the limit here and still bring home the result.”
