Oscar Piastri pinpoints key trigger behind Brazilian GP qualifying exit

Oscar Piastri believes that his switch to the intermediate tyres came too late, as he fell at the second hurdle during qualifying for the Brazilian GP.

The McLaren was eliminated in Q2 during a rain-affected qualifying in Interlagos. That segment featured the pivotal crossover point between full wet tyres and inters, with Piastri among those to lose out.

Oscar Piastri pinpoints cause of Brazilian GP qualifying exit

Albeit in very different conditions, the Australian has now suffered back-to-back Q2 exits.

Rafael Camara’s red flag-triggering crash cost Piastri a final lap, as there was not enough time left on the clock for a resumption. But, this is not where he was pointing the finger.

Asked if that red flag caught him out, and whether he was on a lap, Piastri clarified: “I just finished the lap, but I think we probably went on to the inters a little bit too late, and needed that extra lap or two to really get some temperature in them.

“Some of the lines I was using on the wets definitely didn’t work on the inters. So, some things to review, of course, but I think with another lap and maybe slightly better decisions, we could have been there.

“I definitely would have got one more lap in. But you know, same for everybody. Everyone would have got another lap. There was definitely a lot more time out there, but you just need to be on the right tyre at the right time.”

Torrential rain at the start of Q1, followed by several further downpours, triggered an 84-minute delay before the action could properly get underway.

Once it did, conditions steadily improved throughout the three-part session, until heavy rain returned at then end of Q3.

Asked how tough Q1 was, Piastri said: “I think by the end I was pretty happy on the wets.

“I think that’s just how it goes here. I think once I got comfortable, it was okay. But on the inters, I probably just needed that extra lap to find that second.”

Looking ahead to Grand Prix Sunday, the threat of rain remains. In such conditions, Piastri fears it will be “very, very challenging.”

The Australian will be elevated two placed on the grid to 10th, due to penalties for Ferrari pair Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton.

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“I’m not sure. I think we looked good in the dry. I certainly felt pretty comfortable this weekend. I felt like things were going well,” he said when asked if he’d prefer a wet or dry race.

“So yeah, wait and see what we get. But I think if it’s dry, then we’ve got a good baseline.”

Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris will start from pole position. The reigning world champion has Kimi Antonelli, the incoming champion, for company on the front row.

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