McLaren’s decision not to pit their drivers when the Safety Car came out in Losail meant they would have to chase Max Verstappen down at the end of the race.
However the team appeared to underestimate how much quicker they would have to lap in order to catch the Red Bull driver. The original lap time target they gave to Oscar Piastri for his final stint was around a second per lap slower than he actually needed.
This exchange occured during Piastri’s second stint as he became concerned he was not catching Verstappen quickly enough. The team discussed whether to bring forward his second pit stop from their original target of lap 49, which they eventually did.
However the change of tactics was to no avail. Piastri was easily able to lap under the original lap time target of one minute and 24 seconds, but Verstappen revealed he had more pace in hand.
Selected radio messages from Piastri during Qatar Grand Prix
Jump to:
“We know exactly when they have to pit on the next stop”
“Need to weigh up what the best idea is”
“I will go a lot faster on a hard”
“We would need to be more than a second faster than him”
“I don’t have any words”
“We know exactly when they have to pit on the next stop”
Piastri kept his lead at the start as Verstappen passed Lando Norris off the line to take second place. When the Safety Car came out as a result of Nico Hulkenberg and Pierre Gasly’s collision, McLaren took the pivotal decision not to bring either driver in:
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| Lap: 7/57 PIA: 1’38.466 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Turn 10 Safety Car, Oscar, Safety Car. Recharge on is good, delta positive. |
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| Piastri | Turn 14 Boxing or staying out? |
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| Stallard | Stand by. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Approaching turn 16 Oscar we’re staying out, stay out. |
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| Piastri | Copy, staying out. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 8/57 PIA: 2’27.366 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Now let’s put strat five for the restart, strat five. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | So Oscar here’s the picture. Yourself, Lando and Ocon stayed out. Everyone else has taken it. Pitting on that lap means we know exactly when they have to pit on the next stop. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Copy. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 10/57 PIA: 2’20.906 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Safety car in this lap, safety car in this lap. Bal minus three, bal minus three. So you’ll just need the recharge before you go. Use overtake on start-finish. Safety Car turn 14. Safety Car turn 15. Safety Car turn 16. Piastri accelerates away |
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| Lap: 16/57 PIA: 1’25.493 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Decent lap, good pace. Verstappen now seven and a half seconds behind and Alonso P6 is behind your Safety Car window. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 17/57 PIA: 1’25.602 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | We are in the window for both Safety Cars, in the window. And tyre update, please. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 18/57 PIA: 1’25.784 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Yeah, feels okay. Front-left’s a little bit dead, but pretty consistent. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 21/57 PIA: 1’25.958 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Front left’s just struggling a bit now. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 22/57 PIA: 1’25.870 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Copy. Do not over-push the entries now the tyre gets old, just be careful over pushing the entries. Pace still good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Oscar, target minus one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“Need to weigh up what the best idea is”
McLaren brought Piastri in for his first pit stop on lap 24, one lap earlier than he needed to meet the 25-lap minimum stint requirement. This allowed McLaren to keep Norris out one lap longer and ensure he emerged from the pits ahead of Fernando Alonso, which he narrowly managed.
Both drivers lost precious time passing Carlos Sainz Jnr and Andrea Kimi Antonelli. As early as lap 36, with Verstappen just 8.6 seconds behind and one stop left to make, Piastri was becoming concerned that their plan to jump back ahead of the Red Bull driver wasn’t going to work.
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| Lap: 24/57 PIA: 1’30.513 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Should be one more lap, Oscar, one more lap, use the pace. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Will be box this lap, box this lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Copy, box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Brake balance for the stop. Brake balance for the stop. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Clinical into the box, Oscar, careful onto the mark. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 25/57 PIA: 1’47.924 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Oscar pit lane. He pits and leaves |
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| Stallard | Launch map, launch map. Reset entry four torque nine. Entry four torque nine. Should be just ahead of Alonso at turn one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 26/57 PIA: 1’24.945 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Do you want any kind of introduction or just push? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | I think the little bit you’re doing in high-speed is good. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Car behind is now Lando, three seconds. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 27/57 PIA: 1’24.951 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | So everyone has to pit on lap 32, right? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Correct, yep. Verstappen last lap 25.4. And Oscar, we can go as far as 49, 49 maximum. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | As the tyre’s coming in, just be careful with that steer angle turn four, we want to avoid any over-slip as the tyre comes in. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 35/57 PIA: 1’24.330 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | We are in the window for both kinds of Safety Car, confirm. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 36/57 PIA: 1’24.544 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Ocsar suggest bal plus one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Yeah, need to weigh up what the best idea is in terms of trying to get a Safety Car or just beating him on pace. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | So Oscar, let’s go to target minus one. Best pace to target minus one. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 39/57 PIA: 1’24.440 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Four tenths on Max and Verstappen, good job. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I will go a lot faster on a hard”
McLaren told Piastri he would need to lap under 1’24 after switching early to hard tyres in order to have a chance of catching Verstappen. He told them “I don’t see a better option,” and came in.
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| Lap: 40/57 PIA: 1’24.777 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | [Radio clicks, nothing heard] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Missed your message, exit 10. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 41/57 PIA: 1’24.786 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | I think the only way of winning is if we try and box now and chase him down. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 42/57 PIA: 1’29.077 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Pace would need to be sub-1’24. Would you be able to do that? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Well, I don’t see a better option at the moment. My front left is definitely not as good as it was at the start. I will go a lot faster on a hard. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Okay Oscar let’s do it this lap, box box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Copy, box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Reminder on brake balance into the box. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Oscar pit lane. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 43/57 PIA: 1’46.278 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Launch map, launch map, careful onto the marks. Piastri pits and leaves |
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| Stallard | Launch map off, let’s go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | So Verstappen’s behind Lando, 24.8. Oscar you don’t really need to bring the tyre in, just don’t over push, don’t over-slip the front left. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“We would need to be more than a second faster than him”
Verstappen responded to Piastri’s pit stop by lowering his pace significantly. Having consistently lapped in the 1’24.7s he took around a second per lap off those times.
When McLaren reported Verstappen’s true pace to Piastri, he realised his chances of winning were over, replying: “Well… nice.”
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| Lap: 45/57 PIA: 1’23.324 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | What kind of pace do I need? | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 47/57 PIA: 1’23.411 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Verstappen last lap 23.8. We would need to be more than a second faster than him. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Well… nice. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Pushing pretty hard, Oscar. Let’s see what he does. Just use your pace now. Best pace to the end. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 48/57 PIA: 1’23.062 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Opportunity turn one, earlier braking, mid to exit speed. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 49/57 PIA: 1’23.172 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Nine laps to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Very good lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 51/57 PIA: 1’23.833 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Stroll ahead will get a blue flag. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 52/57 PIA: 1’23.900 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Stroll’s on the soft he’ll only last a lap or two. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 53/57 PIA: 1’23.714 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Five laps to go. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 55/57 PIA: 1’23.653 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Three laps to go. Careful you don’t open turn 10 too much on entry. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
“I don’t have any words”
After taking the chequered flag Piastri told the team he was “speechless” about the lost win. Afterwards he said the defeat hurt even more than the team’s double disqualification in Las Vegas a week earlier.
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| Lap: 56/57 PIA: 1’23.681 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Two to go, strat four available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Hadjar is slow ahead he is currently between 12 and 13. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Hadjar 13 to 14. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lap: 57/57 PIA: 1’23.625 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | There’s debris at near the end of the straight on the right-hand side. If you stay on the line you’re clear. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Last lap. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chequered flag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Chequered flag, Oscar, chequered flag. Switches: H11 13, recharge off ACS. Pace was incredible. Pick up rubber where you can. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Piastri | Speechless. I don’t have any words. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stallard | Just make sure you’re picking up rubber where you can. Oscar there’s a lot of smoke from fireworks. We’re coming back into the pit lane. Just box this lap, but take care, it’s really smoky. And you need to turn the car fully off. So when you get there, kill the engine and then switch fully off. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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