Piastri still has ‘nightmares’ over past Monza incident

Oscar Piastri endured a nightmare F3 qualifying at Monza in 2020 – Image: James Bearne/XPB

Oscar Piastri heads into this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix conceding to still having “nightmares” about Monza following the chaos that unfolded during an F3 qualifying.

The ‘Temple of Speed’ has become notoriously renowned over the years for drivers in all formulas aiming for a slipstream off either a team-mate or a rival in qualifying, which has often resulted in queues forming on the straight leading into the Parabolica.

That proved to be the case in F3 in 2020, leading to nine of the 30 drivers receiving a post-qualifying penalty for impeding. Piastri was one of those drivers baulked, as well as one of those who also impeded and was penalised.

As to what he can expect on his return to the circuit this year with F1, McLaren driver Piastri said: “I would say, as a circuit, it’s probably not as technical as some others, as it has a very different atmosphere about it from a Saturday to a Sunday.

“Obviously, you know, getting a slipstream in qualifying is important. I’ve got nightmares of my F3 days of red flags in qualifying sessions from people trying to get tows, so hopefully it’s not that bad.

“The slipstream plays a massive part, and also on a Sunday. So maybe not the most technical of circuits, but an atmosphere I really enjoy and a track that is very good for overtaking and racing. I’m looking forward to it.”

Piastri heads into the weekend looking to bounce back from a difficult Dutch GP outing, with the catalyst his crash in practice on Friday.

The knock-on effect was a lack of dry running which compromised his final hot lap in qualifying on Saturday when the conditions changed, and when he appeared on course for a place on the front two rows, only to start from eighth on the grid.

Piastri at least brought the car home in ninth on Sunday through a tricky wet-dry-wet race, although the performance of the MCL60 over the weekend suggested much more was possible, and that an opportunity was missed.

“We could have done a few things a little bit better,” said Piastri, on reflection a few days after the event.

“For myself, I didn’t help my weekend with FP2, but we’ve reviewed the race and definitely (there were) a few calls that I think, given the opportunity again, we would have done a few different things.

“But to have both of us still in the points at the end of it, considering where we were at one point in the race, was still a decent afternoon.

“Of course, there was always more, and I think some other teams and some other drivers showed that if they made all the right decisions, there were a lot of points to play for.

“So some things to learn, definitely, for my personal development and also for the team, too.”