Oscar Piastri admits the error he made in qualifying for the Mexico Metropolis Grand Prix was painful as he dropped out in Q1.
McLaren regarded fast in FP3 on Saturday and was a contender for pole place however Piastri locked up on his first run in Q1 because the crew used medium tires initially. Then on softs for his closing try, the Australian went huge at Flip 12 and couldn’t enhance sufficient on a second timed lap so was eradicated in seventeenth place.
“I simply went off in Flip 12, obtained beached on the curb there and that’s it,” Piastri mentioned. “My lap was simply going to be sufficient so it’s irritating to make that mistake. I misplaced a couple of second, so… painful.
“FP3 was very sturdy, even FP2. FP1 I struggled a bit, however FP2 I believe we made some actually good adjustments and I used to be snug. FP3 [was] very snug as nicely, and even in qualifying I felt good. Only a very foolish mistake, making an attempt a bit too exhausting in Q1, in order that was it. I imply, at the least I do know the place all of it went incorrect, nevertheless it nonetheless is painful to be stood right here.”
Piastri additionally recommended he might have aborted and completed one other run on new tires to attempt to advance however he was anticipating to have the efficiency to enhance regardless.
“We didn’t need to [stay out], nevertheless it felt like a really smart resolution to do this,” he defined. “I believe we simply had very, little or no grip on that second lap, which was a disgrace, however I imply, I shouldn’t have even wanted it. Clearly irritating, as a result of the tempo regarded very sturdy and I felt snug. Simply tried a bit an excessive amount of in Flip 12 and it bit me exhausting.”
A yr in the past, teammate Lando Norris additionally began seventeenth and completed fifth with a powerful drive in Mexico, and Piastri says that would be the template for his personal restoration try on Sunday.
“Attempt to get again into the factors, and strongly into the factors, hopefully,” he mentioned. “We’re making an attempt to attract inspiration from Lando’s race final yr and see what we will do. I believe it’s going to be robust, as a result of the sphere appears moderately tight. I believe we’ve obtained some tempo on board this weekend, so we’ll attempt to use it to get by.”
