Oscar Piastri admitted he feared the rolling start at the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix could have cost him the opportunity to take the race lead and ultimately the victory.
A strong launch out of Turn 1 at the restart, combined with a daring run through Eau Rouge, allowed Piastri to overtake McLaren team-mate Lando Norris and secure his sixth victory of the season.
The race had been delayed for over an hour due to torrential rain, forcing drivers to wait until visibility improved enough to safely start the Grand Prix.
After several laps behind the Safety Car, race control opted for a rolling start instead of the usual standing start, with polesitter Norris leading the pack comfortably at the restart.
Undeterred by the change, Piastri seized on an off-moment from Norris at Turn 1 to surge into the lead at the end of the Kemmel Straight.
The Australian kept his composure to fend off Norris, managing the crossover point and resisting a late challenge from his team-mate — who was on Hard tyres while Piastri ran Mediums —to ultimately claim a comfortable win.
In parc ferme after the race, Piastri revealed his nerves over the rolling start decision and how he initially feared it would cost him the chance to win at Spa.
“To be honest, I was a bit disappointed it was a rolling start because I thought that was going to take away some opportunity,” he said.
“But I got a good exit out of Turn 1, was able to stay close and then when I was that close, I knew that I was just going to lift a little bit less than Lando did and try and keep it on the track.
“Yes, a bit lively up and over the hill, but I managed to make it stick and then from there the tyre helped me out, so proud of my first lap.”
Medium tyre choice pays off for Piastri
Piastri’s first lap was impressive, but the strategic battle with Norris was far from over.
When asked about his choice to stay on Medium tyres after Lando switched to the Hards, he explained his reasoning behind playing it safe.
“I mean, I kind of had the same plan if I was going to be second, so I kind of knew that was going to be a likely decision for him,” he added.
“I think for me, the Medium was the safest tyre to be on at that point. You never know if someone’s going to crash, and there’s a Safety Car, and then at that point you want a Medium for the restart.
“Also, the Medium seemed pretty good in the Sprint yesterday. I think it didn’t make too much difference, but yes, when you’re fighting like that, one-two, you’re always going to try and get an advantage in one way or another, and I think we did the safest thing.”
Looking ahead to Budapest — a track with fond memories for Piastri, who took his first F1 win there last year — the Aussie is eager to keep the momentum going.
“It’s going to be exciting to go back,” the 24-year-old explained.
“It’s a track I enjoy, and yes, my first win last year, so I’m looking forward to getting back and hopefully we can continue the momentum because this weekend the pace has been incredibly strong.”
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