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Australian driver Oscar Piastri expressed profound disappointment after a crash during his reconnaissance lap to the grid forced him out of Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix.
After qualifying an impressive fifth, the McLaren driver clipped a kerb at Turn 4, spinning his car into the concrete barriers.
The impact left his vehicle with a detached front wheel and severe bodywork damage, ending his home race before the lights even went out.
Taking full responsibility for the incident, Piastri admitted to reporters that such errors are unacceptable, particularly in front of a home crowd.
While noting that the team would conduct a full review of the circumstances, he emphasised that the mistake was largely his own.
His withdrawal left teammate Lando Norris as the sole McLaren on the track, who ultimately finished the race in fifth place.
The incident extends the long-standing drought for Australian drivers at the Melbourne circuit, as no local has won the event since it joined the official F1 calendar.
McLaren described the weekend as a difficult start to the season, noting that they would focus on “learnings” from the event as they prepare for the upcoming sprint weekend in China.
