Oscar Piastri Would Not Want Max Verstappen as a Teammate; Aussie Driver Turns Candid About Driving With the Dutchman

Oscar Piastri‘s fourth-place finish in the Australian Grand Prix was tantalizingly close to a podium, which would have delighted local fans. However, Lando Norris showcased a superior pace. This prompted the team to order the duo to swap positions, and Piastri allowed Briton to pursue Charles Leclerc. Despite this, McLaren’s exceptional performance secured them a podium spot, adding to the race’s excitement.

After the event, the Aussie featured on Sky Sports, hooked up to a lie detector, and jokingly fibbed about becoming Max Verstappen’s teammate. The Aussie found himself in a humorous moment as he was playfully caught lying on the lie detector machine.

The candid response of Oscar Piastri on teaming up with Max Verstappen

Following the Australian Grand Prix, Piastri participated in the Sky Sports F1’s segment “The Lie Detector”. Hooked up to the polygraph machine, he faced questions from Simon Lazenby. In a humorous turn of events, the 22-year-old McLaren driver was hilariously caught red-handed while committing the crime.

During the interview, the McLaren driver was asked, “Would you ever like to be a teammate with Max Verstappen? The young driver responded, “Yeah”. The interviewer caught him with the help of a lie detector machine, and Lazenby responded, “You wouldn’t like to be“. Piastri was humorously got caught committing the crime for which he claimed, “I think you want to be in a team that you can you know kind of mould around yourself and be comfortable with I think yeah coming into that kind of team makes it more difficult.” Then he was asked ” Is Max the best driver on the grid?”. Piastri said “No”.

The 22-year-old McLaren driver’s candid response to the prospect of becoming teammates with the Red Bull driver reflects several vital factors. The Dutchman’s recognition as a fierce competitor on the grid raises concerns about the intensity of competition within the team. Additionally, their differing driving styles and personalities, with a three-time champion known for his aggressive approach, could pose challenges to cohesion.

Moreover, joining a team with such a high-profile figure brings added pressure and scrutiny to the Aussie’s performance. Overall, the McLaren driver’s statements provide insight into the nuanced considerations and complexities of professional racing partnerships. Nevertheless, following his missed podium opportunity, the 24-year-old Briton driver staunchly defends Zak Brown, suggesting he could have overtaken Charles Leclerc.

Lando Norris upholds Mclaren’s decision following Oscar Piastri’s podium miss

McLaren unveiled its race strategy in the highly anticipated Australian Grand Prix 2024. The young Aussie driver garnered unwavering support from the crowd as he narrowly missed a podium finish, only by the team’s decision to swap positions and allow Lando Norris through. With Max Verstappen out of the race due to brake issues, Ferrari took the lead, closely pursued by McLaren’s Oscar Piastri in third place. As the race progressed, Piastri, with Briton hot on his heels, ultimately yielded to team orders, allowing Norris to pass.

Zak Brown attributed the decision to a “tyre delta,” indicating that Norris, on fresher tyres, could secure second place. However, this meant that the hometown fans missed the chance to witness their star claim a podium finish in Melbourne, a mere 10 minutes from his upbringing. Norris could not overtake Charles Leclerc, adding to the disappointment of home town fans.

In a post-race interview, Lando Norris addressed McLaren’s controversial team order when asked by SEN radio, as quoted by fia.com, stating, “It depends how you look at it. I was a lot quicker, and I would have overtaken him anyway. It’s just you don’t want to delay the process of that happening. And the longer I kind of spent behind him, the worse it was making my chance of catching Charles and trying to be ahead of Charles.” He further claimed, “So yeah, I don’t think the result changed at all. He made my life easier and I think he helped us as a team which I thank him for a lot and we have a lot of respect for one another in these kinds of situations. But I don’t think the result changed at all,” he opined.

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Do you believe McLaren’s decision to swap drivers’ positions was the right call to maximize their performance in the race? share your thoughts in the comments