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During the final Grand Prix event of the year, Verstappen battled Piastri for P2 at the Yas Marina Track which resulted in a contact between them that sent both cars spinning and dropping backwards.
Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri.
Red Bull driver Max Verstappen and McLaren’s Oscar Piastri have opened up on the Lap 1 incident in Abu Dhabi. During the final Grand Prix event of the year, Verstappen battled Piastri for P2 at the Yas Marina Track on December 8. Amid this tussle, a contact between them resulted in both cars spinning and dropping backwards.
The Red Bull driver was even handed a 10-second time penalty for causing the collision. Verstappen spoke about the accident after the race. “That was unlucky, I hate coming together,” he said, as per Formula1.com.
Following the event, Sky Sports F1 asked Piastri if the Belgian’s move was optimistic. “I mean, probably yes, but he came and apologised straight away,” Piastri replied.
Verstappen later reflected on how the collision with Oscar Piastri led to the beginning of a tough evening for him.
“The start was good again – they have been pretty good all year. I went up the inside, of course, I was not alongside, so I tried to then back out of it on the apex, tried to run onto the kerb but the damage was already done. We clipped with Oscar’s left rear with my right front,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s not what I want to happen and after that, it was just a very difficult race. We didn’t have the pace also, so a bit of a shame,” concluded the Red Bull driver.
Piastri also found the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix challenging, especially after he received a penalty for hitting the back of Williams driver Franco Colapinto’s car. This incident occurred before Piastri crossed the line in P10. He later spoke about Max Verstappen’s time penalty and said, “The stewards deemed it was a penalty. So, we go again next year. It was a tough race from then on but we achieved our main target today, that’s that matters.”
While Piastri didn’t enjoy the smoothest of races in Abu Dhabi, the Australian driver was happy to see McLaren seal the Constructors’ title on Sunday. He further admitted that the team accolade made his results easier to deal with.
“It was a pretty miserable race for myself. But I think the biggest thing today is we clinched the championship. It’s a massive credit to everyone at McLaren for what they’ve achieved this year and couldn’t be prouder of them all,” he said.
McLaren’s Lando Norris secured a commanding lead at the Yas Marina Circuit to round off his season with a first-place finish. Ferrari drivers Carlos Sainz Junior and Charles Leclerc secured the second and third places, respectively, as the season came to a close.