F1 enthusiasts were left fuming after McLaren’s Oscar Piastri faced inquiries about his overtaking maneuver on teammate Lando Norris during the recent Italian Grand Prix. The Australian driver executed a remarkable pass on Lap 1 at Monza, securing a P2 finish, ahead of Norris.
However, this move has sparked debate, as it could potentially impede Norris’s chances in the drivers’ championship as he seeks to close the gap on Max Verstappen. In a pre-race chat with Sky Sports, Piastri firmly stated that he did not violate any pre-race agreements with Norris.
When pressed about his teammate’s apparent shock at the overtake, Piastri responded: “I’m not sure. We are free to race and aim for the lead. The outcome of that corner, with us finishing first and third, wasn’t ideal for the team. But we are allowed to race each other, and while circumstances have shifted, we still have the freedom to compete.”
F1 fans quickly took to social media to express their thoughts on the media’s scrutiny of Piastri’s move on Norris at Monza. One fan remarked that the Aussie was being unfairly ‘demonized,’ stating, “Oh, what a surprise, they are now trying to demonize Oscar. Saw that coming a mile off. Feel bad for him.”
This perfectly illustrates Adrian Newey’s point about the British-centric media. The vilification of Oscar is underway. Ted has never posed these questions to a British driver.
“Allow the drivers to compete in their cars on the track during race weekends. PIA owned NOR in Monza. It was stunning.”
“It’s getting overly politically correct,” remarked one fan.
“Ted is just a terrible ‘journalist’,” asserted another.
“Seriously, this really annoyed me,” expressed yet another.
This serves as a prime example of what Adrian Newey referred to regarding the British-biased media. The attack on Oscar has started. Ted has never directed these inquiries at a British driver.
“Let the racers do their thing in their cars on the track during race weekends. PIA owned NOR in Monza. It was magnificent.”
“It’s becoming excessively woke,” commented a fan.
“Ted is just a lousy ‘journalist’,” claimed another.
“Good grief, this really got under my skin,” noted yet another.
Oscar Piastri recently shared his perspective on the possibility of supporting his teammate Lando Norris in the latter’s pursuit of the championship title. The McLaren driver made it clear that he does not intend to automatically defer to Norris in every race situation as the season unfolds. In an interview with Sky Sports, the 23-year-old articulated his stance, stating, “It’s not guaranteed that I will yield the race, regardless of the situation.” He emphasized the importance of maintaining a level of flexibility within the team dynamics, noting that all team members agree that if one driver significantly outperforms the other over a race weekend, that performance should be acknowledged and rewarded.
Piastri further elaborated on his position, indicating that if Norris were to excel and demonstrate a clear advantage during a race, he would be open to supporting him. However, he also pointed out that given his current standing in the championship, he would be less inclined to step aside for Norris. “If that happens to be Lando, then given my position in the championship, I wouldn’t be inclined to do that,” he explained. He added that if their roles were reversed, and he found himself ahead of Norris by a considerable margin, he would not expect Norris to yield to him either.
As it stands, Lando Norris is currently 62 points behind Max Verstappen in the championship standings, with eight races and three Sprint events remaining in the 2024 season. Meanwhile, Oscar Piastri is positioned in fourth place, trailing his McLaren teammate by 44 points. This competitive landscape underscores the complexities of team dynamics in Formula 1, where individual ambitions and team strategies must be carefully balanced as the season progresses.
The Heat is On: Oscar Piastri Faces Fan Criticism for His Move on Lando Norris
