Photo: Race Pictures

Australia needs to let it go: Piastri was NOT "robbed" by McLaren

22:01, 19 Dec

Updated: 23:37, 19 Dec

byKada Sarkozi

The narrative that Oscar Piastri was "robbed" by McLaren echoed through his country's media after the driver missed out on the world title.

In reports after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix and during the post-season, in Australia, the country was disappointed not to see their home hero lift the biggest prize at the end of the season after leading for much of the campaign.

A news report, for example, concluded with the host saying: "Let’s hope Oscar can do it next year… if McLaren don’t work against him."

Day after, another news segment on the driver's salary began: "When Australia's Formula 1 weapon Oscar Piastri lost out in the Drivers' Championship in Abu Dhabi this week, the entire country felt robbed.

"Throughout the season, his team McLaren had seemingly preferenced his teammate and eventual champ Lando Norris, but this might soften the blow a little, at least for Piastri, with word today he will receive a $41 million bonus."

In the end, the driver finished third, 13 points behind his teammate Lando Norris, but not because of the papaya rules.

norris-piastri-mclaren-constructors-singapore-jpg

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri - Photo: Race Pictures

The only controversial moment was when the two McLaren cars swapped places at the Italian Grand Prix. If the two had kept their positions, that would only be a six-point swing. Piastri was in the driving seat at that moment, leading by 31 points.

What ultimately cost Piastri was the fact that, until Qatar, he did not finish on the podium a single time. He crashed in Azerbaijan twice, was more likely than not the culprit for the COTA Sprint incident that took him and Norris out, and he also crashed out during the Interlagos Sprint.

Piastri was constantly behind his teammate and not as consistent as during the rest of the season. By the time he arrived in Qatar and found his form again, the gap was too big for Norris to concede the championship. The British driver simply found the consistency Piastri was previously praised for.

Papaya rules will likely never become popular in Formula 1, and there is a reason for that. However, they did not cost Piastri the title.

Piastri will very likely end up mounting another title challenge at some point in his career. In his third season, he already showed positive signs. It was a year he can be proud of, but one in which he ultimately fell short.

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