Piastri responds as Leclerc and Hadjar deal championship blow

Despite qualifying P5 in Las Vegas, Oscar Piastri believes both he and his McLaren MLC39 have the pace to challenge Lando Norris for the win, as it was a yellow flag and bullish rivals that cost him in qualifying.

Friday night’s qualifying in Sin City took place on a wet Las Vegas street circuit where yellow flags played a role in the outcome.

Oscar Piastri concedes his P5 on the Las Vegas grid is a blow

Both McLaren drivers made it in Q3 for the pole position shoot-out, where it was all to play for as Mercedes’ George Russell had set the pace in the first two segments.

Timing, as the drivers swapped their full wet Pirellis for intermediates, was all-important. But, of course, the later it was left, the more chance there would be for drama ahead.

Piastri found himself caught in that drama when Charles Leclerc went spinning at Turn 12. Piastri, seeing the yellows, hit the brakes, which opened him up to an attack on the track from Isack Hadjar.

Piastri was forced into the run-off area to avoid the Racing Bulls driver.

“I don’t know if that car was trying to overtake him, or if he was a slow-moving car, but it looked like he was trying to lunge up the inside,” said Sky pundit Jenson Button.

“It was strange, because [Hadjar] was behind and they were both on a lap.”

Piastri, however, refused to point fingers, saying his only concern was slowing enough for the yellow flag to avoid a penalty.

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“Yeah, been very tricky conditions,” he told the media in Las Vegas.

“I think Q1, I felt very good. Q2 a few little wobbles, but Q3 I felt good again, and like things were coming to us pretty nicely. Unfortunately, not much you can do with the yellow flag.

“Frustrating end to the session obviously. The car and myself were quick, we’ve some pace for tomorrow.

“It was a massive guessing game, especially in these conditions where you’re improving, it’s tough.

“And then obviously, you know where I saw the yellow flag. It’s a blind corner, so I don’t know if there’s a car stopped somewhere that I’m going to have to do something suddenly.

“So it’s your natural reaction to slow down, obviously. And there’s a lot of risk involved in trying to game the system and lose enough time without… It is what it is.

“But I couldn’t have really done much, and if I had tried to keep pushing, it would have been a pretty big risk of a penalty.”

Pressed on the Hadjar move, he replied: “Obviously slowed down for the yellow [for Leclerc]. It was a very quick yellow, so by the time I had slowed down, maybe it wasn’t out for him [Hadjar].

“But I think he kind of saw it was catching the back of me, and then went off the line to try and pass me. And it’s like ice off the line. So for me, that was a very secondary thing.”

Piastri will line up P5 on the Las Vegas grid, 24 points behind his teammate Norris who sits on pole position.

The Australian racer admits qualifying in Sin City could have a say on the title race.

“Yes, yes, it does, but it’s Las Vegas, after all, so a lot can happen. We’ve seen pretty entertaining races here the last couple of years. A lot of action, so hopefully I can get myself involved on the right side of that action and make up some ground.”

Asked specifically if a podium would be possible, he replied: I think yes. It’s difficult to know exactly where anyone sits because of the kind of lack of proper race running this weekend.

“But I think the car’s been pretty quick in all conditions. Quick in the rain, quick in the dry.”

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