Oscar Piastri has urged his McLaren team to review the circumstances that saw him end up compromised on his final qualifying lap at Formula 1’s British Grand Prix.
Piastri looked to be a match to team-mate Lando Norris across the first two segments at Silverstone, but his opening run in the pole position shootout put him fourth.
When Max Verstappen then improved on his last attempt to demote him to down to fifth, Piastri was unable to respond as he posted slower times through all sectors.
However, the Australian’s ambitions were blighted as rueful timing from McLaren saw him tucked up behind Fernando Alonso and Carlos Sainz on his preparation lap.
While he was able to move past the Aston Martin into the Vale chicane, Piastri spent his entire push lap receiving the turbulence emanating from Sainz’s Ferrari ahead.
Asked whether his end classification was where he was pace-wise under single-lap conditions, Piastri retorted: “I don’t really think so.
“I think in Q1 we were very quick. I did my lap a lot earlier than everybody so I think we were good.
“Q2, again, we went a bit early and we were good. And then Q3, for the last run we just left it way too late. And I opened my lap about half a second behind Carlos.
“So helpful for the straights, definitely not helpful for the corners.
“So yeah, just some things to review there because I think we had more potential than the one we showed today.”
Piastri’s setback marked the second consecutive weekend he has not acquired the starting spot his pace promised amid the track limits saga that cost him in Austria.
“I mean this weekend is a very different frustration,” Piastri explained.
“Last weekend’s frustration was reignited yesterday, but today was on us as a team. So yeah, definitely some things we need to review from that point.”
Piastri explained that his two-tenth deficit to Norris come Q3 did not boil down to a repeat from Barcelona where he was struggling with the balance on his McLaren.
“I felt good,” he expressed. “Yesterday was a bit of a difficult day for a few reasons, but I think through qualifying it was looking good.
“Just got a little bit wrong on my first push lap, and then the second one we just got massively wrong with the timing of leaving the pits.
“So yeah, that’s just a shame we didn’t get to have another attempt when it really counts.”
Looking forward to the race, Piastri suspects that the fine margins at the sharp end will ensure that optimising the finer details will take on even added significance.
“I think we’re all very even, to be honest,” he added. “I think the Mercedes looked very fast. I think they had a good day yesterday.
“And in the rain this morning, they looked quick. And clearly, they were very quick just now. So I think they’re one of the quickest, if not the quickest at the moment.
“Max, I imagine, has more in the tank. Because I can’t imagine his floor looked great after going through the gravel.
“So yeah, I think the five cars there are very evenly matched at the moment so it’s going to be about who maximises the opportunities tomorrow.”
