“I Value My Life and My Limbs”: Oscar Piastri in Fear of Off-Track Plans With F1 Pundit

Oscar Piastri had a less-than-stellar home race, finishing P8 at the Australian Grand Prix, and despite his results, he has more fans now than ever. The Aussie driver is currently the youngest man on the grid and this brings him a lot of attention from the press and fans alike. He was recently invited to the Fast and the Curious podcast to talk about his experience ahead of the Chinese Grand Prix.

Notably, it is the first time Oscar Piastri will be racing in China, as the F1 circus has skipped the Shanghai track for the last 5 years. F1 will be returning to race there for the first time in Oscar Piastri’s career. Along with his state of mind before a race on a new track, being an Aussie, he also shares his affiliations with the cricket world.

The Aussie is still not willing to risk

Following a post on Oscar Piastri’s Instagram, the hosts of The Fast and the Curious podcast asked the McLaren driver about the conversation that started due to a crickety post on Instagram. When Piastri was asked, “So you and Greg have been talking on Instagram again about cricket because you posted a rickety picture and somehow discussions started happening about Greg, Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, and yourself going in the nets together, Are we on for that is that going to happen?” 

To this, the Aussie driver responded, “I’m more than happy to watch Greg James face Stuart Broad and Jimmy Anderson, but I will not be getting anywhere near them. Yeah, I mean, I value my life and my limbs, so.”

Both sports are quite dangerous, with cricket balls being thrown at you at around 90mph. While this pales in comparison to the speed of F1 cars, there is a direct chance of the ball hurting the player. Explaining the terms under which he would consider playing cricket with them Oscar Piastri said, “Maybe we can. I mean, only if they bowl it like a quarter pace. It’d be cool to meet them, I guess. I mean, of course, I’d have to tell them that they weren’t as good as some of these, but yes, given no sure. So yeah, that could be fun.”

The Aussie is true to his roots and follows cricket like most Australians do. That being said, Oscar Piastri would still be scared for his safety against other professional players, but he does not only have his eyes on cricket, as he has identified areas where the team’s rivals have improved over the last season.

Oscar Piastri knows Ferrari’s and Aston Martin’s potential

Piastri notes that McLaren is no longer as exceptional in high-speed corners as it was in the past. The team’s performance, which used to be a strength, is now more on par with its rivals, Ferrari and Aston Martin. Aston Martin has also improved its performance in high-speed corners, further narrowing the gap between them and McLaren.

Additionally, Ferrari has notably improved its high-speed performance compared to previous seasons. Aston Martin has also focused on enhancing the aerodynamic efficiency of its car, particularly in high-speed corners. The teams that lacked pace compared to the Papaya are now catching up on their flaws and pushing to become a challenge that McLaren might not be able to overcome.

Between the two rivals, Ferrari has a huge lead this year, and although Aston Martin is behind them, there is a chance they catch up. That being said, do you think McLaren will be able to hold their position as P3 this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.