Piastri Recalls ‘Tense’ Encounter with Frustrated Hamilton: It Was Awkward

Oscar Piastri described an “awkward” encounter with Lewis Hamilton and George Russell in the cooldown room following the Belgian Grand Prix. At the time, Mercedes had achieved their first one-two finish since 2022, but Hamilton was visibly irritated because Russell had been given the better strategy. Piastri recalled the palpable tension in the cooldown room during that moment.

After a Formula 1 race, drivers who finish in the top three head to the cooldown room to unwind before the podium celebrations. Recently, highlights from the race have been shown, and drivers often discuss the event together. Piastri, who now has nine podiums in his F1 career, has already experienced an awkward moment.

“The most awkward cooldown room I’ve been in was after Spa, where George and Lewis finished first and second,” Piastri recalled in an interview with the UK’s Cosmopolitan.

Why Did Piastri Have an Awkward Encounter with Hamilton?

Hamilton was clearly frustrated with Mercedes’ strategy during the Belgian Grand Prix, where he finished second behind his teammate George Russell, who was on a one-stop strategy. Hamilton claimed he suggested a similar approach over the radio but ended up pitting when he didn’t want to.

In the race’s final laps, Hamilton closed in on Russell, and with a tire advantage, he seemed poised to overtake. However, Russell’s excellent defensive driving kept the younger Brit ahead. Left questioning why he wasn’t switched to a one-stop strategy, Hamilton’s irritation was palpable, and Piastri could feel the tension in the room.

“It was tense. Lewis drove a great race, and under different circumstances, he should have won comfortably. I understood how he was feeling,” Piastri reflected. “I could sense that Lewis didn’t want to chat, so I just watched the highlights in silence and kept to myself.”

In the end, Hamilton was awarded the victory after Russell was disqualified, which elevated Piastri to second place.

Source: https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/305978/oscar-piastri-on-awkward-meeting-with-lewis-hamilton-in-f1.html