Exactly a year after arriving at Monza as the title favourite, Oscar Piastri has broken his silence, insisting he has no regrets about the decision that sparked one of the paddock's fiercest debates. The Australian led team-mate Lando Norris by 34 points before that weekend, but it marked the start of his downfall.
The controversy centred on the Italian Grand Prix, when Piastri was asked to let Norris through after the Briton's slow pit stop. The order, which Piastri obeyed, raised questions about whether McLaren was prioritising Norris in the title fight.
A Compliance That Divided Opinion
At the time, the duo were battling for second, with Norris ahead for most of the race until his pit stop drama. Piastri's compliance drew sharp criticism—many felt he should have resisted to protect his own championship hopes.
McLaren boss Andrea Stella defended the call, citing the team's internal "papaya rules". Yet, for many observers, Piastri's obedience proved costly in his bid for the title.
No Regrets Amid Mounting Pressure
Ahead of this year's race, in the post-qualifying press conference, Piastri was asked whether he would change his response knowing how the season unfolded. His answer was firm: nothing to change.
"No, I don't think it was one thing that led to the back end of last year being difficult," he said. "There were a number of different things week to week. But for me, how I responded, how I handled last year, I wouldn't change it. So, yeah, nothing to change."
Since then, Piastri has not won another race, and this season he has also lacked pace compared to Norris. Stella attributes many of his issues to his driving style, noting struggles on low-grip tracks—a pattern that seems to persist with the 2026 cars' reduced downforce.
Piastri disputes the simplicity of that explanation, but he believes he is starting to unlock more speed, highlighting his qualifying progress at Zandvoort. The road back to the top remains long, but he appears determined to prove his decision was not a mistake.
Read Also
Liam Lawson admits he knew about his grid penalty at the Italian GP. Get his full explanation and how Red Bull's strategy is focused on race day.
Max Verstappen asks Red Bull to investigate a rear axle failure that hurt his Italian GP qualifying at Monza, leaving him sixth on the grid.
Gasly stuns F1 with maiden pole at Monza. Can he survive the heat and pressure? Full analysis of the Italian GP.
Continue with Google
Discussion (0)
Join the Discussion!
Sign in easily to start commenting, replying, and interacting with other readers.
Latest Comments
No comments yet. Be the first!