Oscar Piastri has confirmed he and McLaren had to push hard to secure the win under the lights in Jeddah.
After launching off the line well at the Saudi Arabian GP, controversy loomed at the first corner. Taking the inside line, he forced Max Verstappen wide, the Dutchman taking to the run-off. Unable to pass Verstappen during the first half of the race, Oscar Piastri saw his race transform after the pit stops, as Verstappen served a five second time penalty. Once in clean air, the Australian drove a measured race to secure victory.
Speaking in Parc Ferme in Jeddah after the race, Piastri confirmed his race was decided at the first corner. He said he needed a “couch” after a long night of racing when asked how he felt.
“Looking for a couch, I think, is the answer. It was a pretty tough race. Yeah, very, very happy to have obviously won. And yeah, made the difference at the start.
“Made my case into turn one and that was enough. It was really tricky to follow out there. I couldn’t really stay with Max at the end of the first stage.
[I} just chewed up my tyres and then, yeah, the clean air was nice after the pit stop. So, great race. We did the parts we needed to right.
Piastri also admitted that Red Bull’s dramatic turnaround at the Saudi Arabian GP concerned him and Mclaren.
“Still need a bit more, I think. Max was a little bit too close for our liking, but a great race and a great weekend. Certainly a great start.”
A race-defining first corner for Oscar Piastri at the Saudi Arabian GP
When asked about the first corner incident, Oscar Piastri maintained he was in the lead going into the corner.
“Once I got on the inside, I wasn’t coming out of turn one in second. So, I tried my best.
“Obviously, the stewards had to get involved, but I thought I was plenty far enough up. And in the end, that’s what got me the race. So, I’m very, very happy with all the work we’ve been doing in the starts.
And yeah, that’s what won us the race today.”
The Australian also joked about his drink bottle working this weekend, an improvement on Bahrain a week ago.
That was one of our biggest upgrades this week, the drinks working. So, no, that was good.
“I got some fluids on board, which was nice, but it’s always a tough race around here. It’s a little bit later in the year this year as well, which I think it’s a little bit warmer, a little bit more humid. And yeah, definitely one of the toughest races I’ve had in my career.
So, I’m glad that I could come out on top in it”
