Formula 1 Spanish GP
Piastri has no answer for poor F1 Spanish GP qualifying
The Australian endured an off-colour day that ended with a Q3 error
Filip Cleeren
Published: Jun 23, 2024, 11:50 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
McLaren's Oscar Piastri says he has no answers for his lack of pace in qualifying for Formula 1's Spanish Grand Prix, saying his Q3 off didn't cost him many places.
Piastri didn't set a time in the top 10 shootout after going wide in Turn 12, in sharp contrast with team-mate Lando Norris, who claimed his second career pole.
With the pair having been finely poised in qualifying this year, Piastri would have been expected to join Norris at the front, but the Australian admitted his off barely made a difference to his position as he was well off the pace anyway.
"It wasn't looking amazing, it certainly wasn't going to be pole," he conceded. "I think it would have been maybe P7 or P8 at best, so I don't feel like I throw away that much of a result, honestly."
Piastri says he has no answers for his off-colour weekend so far, which comes at a circuit that suits the McLaren MCL38.
"I didn't have the pace we need to understand why that's been the case, it's just not been very natural all weekend.
"I think the last four or five races, from the first lap of practice I've been able to be comfortable with the car and then push on from there - and this weekend it's just not been coming. It has just not clicked for some reason."
Oscar Piastri, McLaren MCL38
Photo by: Zak Mauger / Motorsport Images
Piastri says he has not had one clear weakness compared to Norris at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but says the corners where he was shipping time to the Briton kept changing.
"It's been a little bit random, which I think for me is kind of an indicator that I've not had much confidence with the car," he explained.
"If it's one or two corners consistently, then you can kind of go: 'Okay, he's doing a better job'. But one session it's been one corner, the next one has been somewhere else.
"The last sector has been a little bit difficult, but never for the same reason. It's just been very, very tough for me to find the limit."
Asked to explain his T12 off, he replied: "My lap wasn't going to be anything amazing at that point, so I knew I didn't really have anything to lose, and just got a massive push of understeer.
"I don't know if I tried to carry a bit too much speed or had a gust of wind, but it has not really been a very predictable day in terms of what the car's going to do."
Read Also:
Formula 1Why Spanish GP will tell us so much about F1 2024 title battle
Formula 1Arbitration panel rules in Haas court battle with Mazepin sponsor Uralkali
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Hamilton: Mercedes still exposed by F1 qualifying weakness
Next article F1 live: Follow the Spanish GP as it happened
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
Filip Cleeren
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
Formula 1
Formula 1 8 h
Five key takeaways from F1's big African Grand Prix reveal in Rwanda
F1 signs historic 10-year Rwanda deal to host African Grand Prix
Formula 1
Formula 1 17 h
F1 signs historic 10-year Rwanda deal to host African Grand Prix
More from
Lando Norris
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
13 h
Why McLaren cannot fix its F1 car handling until 2027
Andrea Stella praises Lando Norris for reaction to Singapore GP sprint clash
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Andrea Stella praises Lando Norris for reaction to Singapore GP sprint clash
More from
McLaren
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Oscar Piastri on his Singapore puncture: “Ironically, it probably helped”
Lando Norris: ‘I owe everyone at McLaren an apology” for Oscar Piastri clash
Formula 1
Formula 1
Singapore GP
Lando Norris: ‘I owe everyone at McLaren an apology” for Oscar Piastri clash
Latest news
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
38 min
Tom Cruise interested in racing ARCA car, per NASCAR CEO Steve O'Donnell
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
3 h
Gibbs, Spire and Gabehart argue over contempt and injunction
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Charlotte II
4 h
William Byron to run Jeff Gordon throwback Axalta scheme at Phoenix
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
IndyCar
Indy IndyCar 4 h
Alexander Rossi takes over IR-28 testing as IndyCar pushes new chassis to the limit at Sebring
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe