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Oscar Piastri recently took a jibe at the three-time podium finisher Lance Stroll for 'driving like his first go-kart race' at the 2024 F1 Italian GP. Piastri had to lap Stroll after his second pitstop while chasing the two Ferrari drivers.
Both McLaren drivers started the race from the front row, but Piastri made a bold move on Lap 1 to overtake the race leader and his teammate, Lando Norris. The Australian led most of the race, even after everyone's first pitstop. However, McLaren's car was eating through its tires, forcing Piastri to a late pitstop on Lap 38. This allowed both Ferrari drivers to pass by.
After exiting the pits, the McLaren driver decided to reduce the massive gap to Ferrari drivers and fight for victory. However, his charge was disturbed by a few backmarker drivers whom he needed to lap. One of them was Aston Martin's Lance Stroll.
Speaking to F1.com after the race, Piastri explained that he understood how difficult it was to close the gap after a late pitstop and go for the victory. He then criticized Lance Stroll by saying that he was driving like it was the Canadian's first go-kart race.
"I thought it would be tough, but I thought it would be possible. With the pace I had at the start, I think I was catching nearly two seconds a lap. You know, had a few people that were not very helpful. Stroll was driving like he was in his first go-kart race. So that cost a couple of seconds," Piastri said.
Piastri eventually ended at P2 after overtaking Carlos Sainz but was unable to close the gap to Charles Leclerc, who brought home another victory for Ferrari on their home ground in Monza. On the other hand, Lance Stroll finished last in the race at P19.
"Just a few laps too short": Oscar Piastri on tire graining and pitstop strategy costing him a win in the Italian GP
Oscar Piastri talked about how his car's tires suffered a lot of graining around Monza in the 2024 F1 Italian GP, so much so that he had to go for a second pitstop in the race. He also explained that he thought he had ample pace on fresh tires to hunt both Ferrari drivers, but there were not enough laps to do so.
Speaking to F1.com, he said:
"Two-stop seemed like the best strategy at the time. The graining through the rest of the weekend was very tough, but as soon as we got it, was very very difficult to manage. Getting graining on the first hard and I felt like we would have enough pace difference on a new set of tires to go an attack...just a few laps too short," Piastri said.
As of now, Oscar Piastri is in fourth place in the drivers' championship table with 197 points. He is chasing Ferrari's Charles Leclerc who is in third place (217 points).
