Oscar Piastri Reacts to Race-Ending Collision With Esteban Ocon Weeks After Absolving Carlos Sainz for Same

If there’s one word to describe the rookie season Oscar Piastri has had so far, it’s eventful. He got his first DNF and his first points. He secured his first podium and got his first pole position (does a Sprint pole count?). Oh, and a race win (again, does a Sprint win count?) before his experienced teammate. He’s played a monumental role in one of the biggest turnarounds F1 has ever seen, and although the season didn’t start the way he wanted, Piastri has hit his stride. At the US GP, though, he was hit on his side.

Before getting to what happened in Austin, it’s worth mentioning that Piastri has had one of the most remarkable rookie seasons in recent history. Apart from proving just how good a driver he is, he’s also proved he’s beyond his years. Yes, his driving skillset is extraordinary, but so is his maturity, something that he’s demonstrated time and time again this season—most recently after a first-lap collision at the US GP.

Does Oscar Piastri have an accusatory bone in his body?

For someone who’s in his first season in the sport, Piastri has had two more first-lap collisions than he would’ve wanted. Unfortunately for him, both came on weekends when his chances looked good. But in both cases, he handled the situation like someone who’s been in F1 far longer than he has. The first time was at the Belgian GP, a Sprint weekend. That was the weekend he got his first podium (in a Sprint) by finishing P2. Unfortunately, he couldn’t repeat the result on Sunday due to a collision with Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Starting in P5 behind Sainz, both drivers got a good start. But going into the Turn 1 hairpin, there were three cars side-by-side, with Piastri on the inside. Sainz, in the middle, had nowhere to go and squeezed Piastri into the wall. As a result, Piastri had terminal damage and had to retire. In the media pen, he didn’t seem too upset and even posted a picture on Instagram, writing, “The highs and lows of Spa. Early summer holiday for me.” He found the silver lining then, and he found it now as well. 

In Austin, the Aussie got off the line well after starting tenth. Going into the esses, Piastri was on the outside of Alpine’s Esteban Ocon, and they made contact. After that, both of them had terminal car damage and retired. After his retirement, Piastri reflected on his weekend. He said, “Definitely not one of the best weekends. Yesterday was not strong. I think today was looking a fair bit better, but still some things to try and work on and improve. Character-building weekend. These are the kind of weekends that are very important in my first season. So, yeah, definitely try and learn what I can.”

Read More: “Better Than Daniel… Better Than Lando”: F1 Veteran Reveals the Reason Over Hot Take on Oscar Piastri

Instead of blaming Ocon, Piastri accepted the outcome and focused on the positives, just like he did in Belgium. Isn’t that what sets him apart from so many others? As surprising as it may seem, these two aren’t the only incidents where Piastri has had to forgive another driver.

Piastri was on Lewis Hamilton’s hit list in Italy

Toward the end of the Italian GP, Lewis Hamilton, in his W14, was stuck behind Piastri in P9. The W14 had the stronger race pace, but Hamilton just couldn’t get past Piastri. When he finally got the opportunity, the seven-time champion collided with Piastri, even though the Aussie gave him enough room. That move dropped Piastri out of the points, and despite a five-second penalty, Hamilton finished sixth. Hamilton, though, made amends after the race.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Hamilton revealed he went up to Piastri and apologized after the race. The rookie attested to it in a later interview. When asked if Hamilton was still on his Christmas card list, he responded, “Uhm, yeah. I mean, he apologized immediately, and he got a penalty for it. So I’m happy he owned up to it, at least. Ideally, it wouldn’t have happened, but it’s quite easy to do in that corner, you know. I’ve seen it plenty of times. So, he’s still on there… just about.” 

Watch This Story: How Oscar Piastri Has Made a Scintillating Rise to the Pinnacle of Motorsport

From being on Hamilton’s hit list to keeping him on his Christmas list. From forgiving Ocon and being called “inexperienced” by Sainz, Oscar Piastri has seen it all. And he’s only in his first F1 season. How do you think the next few seasons will play out for the Aussie?