Piastri Slams Sainz for Blue-Flag Collision in Hungarian GP
Oscar Piastri's Hungarian GP podium hopes were dashed after a collision with Carlos Sainz, who failed to heed blue flags.
Key Takeaways
- Oscar Piastri’s Hungarian GP podium hopes were dashed after a collision with Carlos Sainz.
- Sainz failed to heed blue flags, leading to the incident.
- Piastri was critical of Sainz’s excuse, calling it “one of the dumbest things I’ve seen on the race track.”
- Sainz was issued a 5-second penalty for avoidable contact.
- Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris went on to win the race.
What Happened in the Hungarian GP?
Oscar Piastri was battling for the win in the Hungarian Grand Prix without upgrades, but his chances were destroyed after a collision with Carlos Sainz.
Piastri was released from the pit lane in fifth place, but was losing his tires trying to make it through traffic.
As he came up on the battle for 16th between Fernando Alonso and Sainz, Piastri was further on the outside looking to move past the battle and keep his needed buffer to his teammate.
Why Did the Collision Occur?
Sainz didn’t see Piastri and wasn’t adhering to the marshal’s blue flags, leading to a collision between Sainz and Piastri.
The Stewards’ decision read: “The Driver of Car 55 was wholly responsible for the collision with Car 81.”
However, the penalty was reduced to 5 seconds from the standard 10 seconds for Piastri being in the driver’s blind spot at the time of contact.
What Did Sainz Say About the Incident?
In the post-race media scrum, Sainz said he was sorry for not seeing Piastri or the Blue Flags and knows the incident could’ve been avoided with better communication between him and his box.
Sainz also shared that he thought Piastri, in a battle for wins and podiums, should’ve been more careful.
How Did Piastri React to Sainz’s Excuse?
Piastri didn’t find Sainz’s excuse acceptable, calling it “one of the dumbest things I’ve seen on the race track.”
Piastri also stated that he knew there were blue flags issues, but there were blue flags on all the marshal signals.
He also criticized Sainz for being critical of others and not taking responsibility for his actions.
What Were the Consequences of the Collision?
Piastri went on to DNF with a gearbox failure 20 laps after his incident with Sainz.
Norris came out of his second spot ahead of Piastri, and the chance of a win was lost.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What caused the collision between Piastri and Sainz?
The collision occurred when Sainz failed to heed blue flags and didn’t see Piastri, leading to a collision between the two drivers.
Q: What was the penalty for Sainz?
Sainz was issued a 5-second penalty for avoidable contact.
Q: How did Piastri react to Sainz’s excuse?
Piastri didn’t find Sainz’s excuse acceptable, calling it “one of the dumbest things I’ve seen on the race track.”
