Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Motorsport
Motorsport

Oscar Piastri crashes out of F1 Brazil GP sprint race in championship blow

Oscar Piastri has crashed out of the Brazil Grand Prix sprint race, causing a red flag and adding pressure to his championship fight.

On the seventh lap of the sprint, the Australian driver dipped a tyre onto the kerb, picked up water and, as a result, crashed into the barriers on the inside of Turn 3. Closely following Piastri, Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg and Alpine's Franco Colapinto were involved in the same incident as they both spun on the same point of the circuit.

Nico Hulkenberg managed to return to the pits and the team worked to repair the car during the red-flagged period. But for Piastri and Colapinto, their races were over. 

Former Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle commented on the crash: "He’s dragged a little bit of water up off the kerb. That’s pretty damaging for Oscar Piastri in his quest for the world championship.”

He added: “That was so unlucky for all three of them because you can’t actually say they were doing anything wrong. It’s those that went on the kerb that found the water. The water’s not on the racetrack. Everybody that dipped a tyre onto that kerb got sent to the barriers."

Heading into the race, Piastri was just one point behind Norris in the drivers' standings as the battle for the title intensifies. Norris, who started the sprint race from pole position, was leading at the time of the crash and will have to defend the position at the race restart.

Piastri has struggled in recent weeks but felt more positive after practice 1 and sprint qualifying in Brazil.

"A couple of big moments on my first lap, which wasn't ideal. Yeah, that was a bit of a shame, but ultimately I felt much happier today than the last couple of weeks," the McLaren driver explained to the media after sprint qualifying.

"Practice went very well. I think sprint quali changed a few things, which took a little bit of getting used to again. But yeah, ultimately pretty happy. Would have liked a little bit more, but we can definitely fight with what we've got and there's obviously a lot more points on Sunday."

Photos from Sao Paulo GP - Sprint Race

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Fan atmosphere in the fan zone

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Carlos Sainz, Williams

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Pierre Gasly, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Esteban Ocon, Haas F1 Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Cockpit cooling in the Aston Martin F1 Team garage

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Fans

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Oliver Bearman, Haas F1 Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Oscar Piastri, McLaren, Franco Colapinto, Alpine crash

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Nico Hulkenberg, Sauber, Franco Colapinto, Alpine

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Liam Lawson, Racing Bulls Team, Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls Team

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari, Lance Stroll, Aston Martin Racing

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Gabriel Bortoleto, Sauber

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes, Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Lando Norris, McLaren, George Russell, Mercedes

Sao Paulo GP - Saturday, in photos

Formula 1
52
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.