Oscar Piastri reflects on ‘painful’ Safety Car timing in Qatar as he prepares for constructors’ battle to ‘go down to the wire’

In a critical weekend for McLaren’s constructors’ title hopes, Oscar Piastri claimed the final podium spot at the Qatar Grand Prix to help keep the team in the lead going into the season's final race.

It was a damage limitation mission for the Australian as his team mate Lando Norris was slapped with a stop/go penalty that sent him careering down the order before he recovered to add two points to their tally, securing the fastest lap in P10.

Piastri pushed to the limits throughout the eventful 57-lap race, losing the rear of his car and sliding into the gravel a number of times, but ultimately kept it on track to cross the line in third place behind Charles Leclerc and race winner Max Verstappen.

Despite claiming his first race podium since the Singapore Grand Prix, he was left to rue what could have been a P2 finish if he hadn’t lost out to the Ferrari – Leclerc was able to pit for new tyres under the Safety Car, which brought him out ahead of Piastri on track.

Max Verstappen, Charles Leclerc and Oscar Piastri celebrate on the podium during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on December 01, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by James Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) — McLaren's fortunes turned after they finished 1-2 in Saturday's Sprint

“It was obviously painful, that Safety Car timing,” Piastri told Sky Sports F1 in a post-race chat. “I think it was a decent race – we just didn’t quite have enough pace in the right areas to make inroads on the cars ahead.

“I think for the first half of the race I was stuck behind [George] Russell, second half stuck behind Charles so that was painful.

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“I think to walk away with a podium and good points is important, obviously, so hopefully we can have a strong weekend next week and seal the deal.”

Norris was undeniably also on his way to securing a top-three finish as he spent a significant stint just behind race leader Verstappen, challenging him at times but finding himself unable to pass.

Oscar Piastri of Australia driving the (81) McLaren MCL38 Mercedes on track during the F1 Grand Prix of Qatar at Lusail International Circuit on December 01, 2024 in Lusail City, Qatar. (Photo by James Sutton - Formula 1/Formula 1 via Getty Images) — Piastri repeatedly dipped a wheel in the gravel around the high-speed circuit

However, his severe penalty for failing to slow under yellow flags sent him to last in the order – his surge through the field to tenth means that McLaren still have a 21-point lead over Ferrari going into the season finale in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to the media further, Piastri said: ”Obviously not the ideal team result but I would still rather be in our position rather than Ferrari’s.

“It’s going to go down to the wire obviously but let’s remain positive and I think we still have a very good chance.”

The Italian team maximised their performance at the Lusail International Circuit to finish in P2 and P6, bouncing back from an unfortunate puncture on Carlos Sainz’s car mid-race, but they still have a significant deficit to overcome to seal their first constructors’ title since 2008.